Stay with me, please. x Bucky Barnes

Chapter 9

"Sarah? Hey, can you talk for a minute?" I have been locked in the bathroom for about 5 minutes now. Originally the plan was to go outside and spend some time with Bucky, but as I saw him sitting outside by the water, I got so anxious and nervous that I run right back upstairs. I didn't want another pep talk from Peter so I locked myself in.

"Hey, Hey... yes of course? Did something happen? What's up?" I hear her voice on the other side of the line. "It's Bucky. I... I think I like him, but I'm not sure. I just had a talk with Peter and he told me to go talk to him, but I got so nervous I literally run upstairs and locked myself in the bathroom. I don't know what to do," I start babbling around and nervously walking up and down the large room.

"You like Bucky? Did I miss a few episodes? Well, if you do, Peter is right. You should talk to him. You don't have to tell him about your feelings, just talk to him. Maybe he's feeling the same way and is going the first step. Or you at least spend some time with him."

"I know that you two are right... I just don't want to annoy him. I don't want to cross his boundaries and maybe he doesn't even want me to be around him that often... What if we fall back to our old argue state?"

"I'm sure he won't get mad at you. Peter told me about you two not arguing anymore and literally cuddling in front of everyone. If he wouldn't at least like you a little bit, he wouldn't act like that... I mean, that would be a really big dickhead move," I hear her little giggle on the other side. "Don't worry so much and go talk to him. Make small talk if you have no idea what to say... talk about the others."

"Peter and you, huh? Are you two talking now?" I chuckle softly and finally start to relax again. "Yes, we are. Now get your ass out of the bathroom and do the same!" She laughs at me and if she would be here right now, she would probably push me down the stairs to make sure I'm actually going. "Alright. I text you later." I laugh before we hang up.

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"Hey... you want some company?" I smile down at Bucky who sits at the end of the dock, feet dangling over the edge in the water. "Yes, come join me," he moves a bit to the side to make me space. I copy his position and look over the lake, the sun is slowly starting to set turning the sky a pretty orange and pink colour.

"So what's up? Why are you out here all alone?" I ask and give him a soft smile before looking back at the water. "I could ask you the same. I was just out here thinking a little... what about you?"

"I try not to think right now," I laugh and look at him again. Our eyes meet and I swear my heart skipped a beat. "I can tell you from a really trustworthy source if you try not to think about something, it sneaks up in your mind and won't let you go... do you want to talk about it? Sometimes it helps."

"I do, but I don't know how to and I really don't know if you are the right person to speak to," I say more to myself than to him. I let my upper body fall back and lay down looking up to the sky. "Hey... you can talk to me, doll. I promise I won't say anything to anyone," he gives me a comforting smile before he lays down next to me. "Are you alright?"

After a few seconds of awkward silence, I start to speak, choosing my words very carefully to not give anything away. "I have a little boy problem... if I can even call it that." I stop and look over to an already-looking Bucky. "Boy problem?"

"Yes, I don't know what else to call it..." I nod slowly before turning my head back to look at the sky. "So what's the problem? Is he treating you badly? Do you want me to pay him a visit?"

"No! God, no," I chuckle and roll my eyes slightly. "Nothing like that. He's just constantly on my mind and I think about him in the most inappropriate moments. The worse thing about all this is I don't really know how to act. I haven't felt like this before and I have no clue if he even likes me back..." I stop again, "It's slowly but surely driving me nuts."

"I really wish I could help you but I'm really bad at this kind of stuff myself... All I can say is, if he doesn't like you, he is definitely missing out on an amazing girl. I guess you have to speak to him and maybe hint at your feelings? God, that's probably the worse tip you ever got, right?" Bucky starts laughing at his attempt to cheer me up. He gets back up and holds a hand out for me to take it.

"Thank you... It's not as bad as you think," I giggle and blush slightly before taking his hand. He yanks me on my feet. "Are you still trying to not think?" He asks as he lets go of my hand and starts taking off his shirt.

"Uhm... yes? What are you doing?" I ask now blushing madly... Even though I really want to look away and give him his privacy, my eyes stay on his body. God really took his time with him... My eyes wander over his body back to his face. "Are you done, doll?" he laughs at me and even if I doubt that my face can turn any redder, it now feels like it's burning.

"Sorry," I say embarrassed, and turn my head to the side. "What's your plan?"

"Well, I want you to stop thinking. Take off your dress and come swim with me," Bucky answers before I hear him stripping down to his boxers. "Bucky, I'm not wearing a bikini!" I shake my head at him.

"And? As long as you are wearing underwear? It's literally the same thing... and I won't look. I promise," he laughs and rolls his eyes. "Ok... Fine. Turn around and close your eyes."

He does as I told him and I quickly take off my dress. Before he can even notice that I'm done, I sneak up behind him and push him into the water. "Oh, you are so going to regret this, doll!" He smirks devilishly as he comes out of the water again. I try my best to get away from him but he grabs me by my waist and carries me back to the end of the dock before he jumps into the water with me literally in his hands.

I brush my hair behind my face as we both come back up. "Now that was unfair," I chuckle and splash a bit of water in his direction. "That wasn't unfair at all. Unfair was that you attack a poor me, standing and minding my own business!"

We keep fooling around and talking for quite a while until the sun is nearly gone behind the trees around us. When the sky was beautiful earlier, I have no idea how to describe it now. Bucky and I are currently on our way back to the dock, we did a little bet on who can swim faster to the other side of the lake. Do I need to say that I didn't win? "So the guy you talked about... How did you meet him? Did you went to the same school?"

"It's complicated. I would say he is a friend of the family..." I say after a few seconds of thinking. "Oh, so Tony knows him... Interesting. Do you think he would fit into your world? I mean with all those things and people around you, you are definitely not living a normal life."

"Wow. Bucky, what's up? Why are you so chatty?" I chuckle to win some time to think about my answers. "I mean... he kind of is a part of it already. I don't think that's the problem." I hear him mumble something under his breath but I don't quite understand what exactly. "I just want to know if he would be good for you."

We reach the dock and I can feel my toes touching the sand under us again. "Bucky? I can't do this. Can I be completely honest with you? And can you promise me that you won't think any different of me?" I ask standing in the water "Yes, sure. Oh, is it one of us?!" He asks with a stern voice but I can clearly notice a bit of nervousness in his tone.

"It's you. I can't stop thinking about you and to be honest, it drives me crazy. I know that I'm probably ruining things right now. I mean we kinda speak with each other for like what... 4 days? But I really have to get it off my chest before Sam or someone else says something and makes things way worse than I do right-" I try to explain myself but Bucky stops me with a soft hand on my cheek. His thumb gently brushes over my lower lip. He looks down at them and back into my eyes "I like you too. Don't worry, doll," he whispers before leaning down and pressing his lips on mine.