Whiskey | 18+ {Bucky Barnes}

Chapter Seven

Hey, loves, this chapter is a little short.
But I hope you enjoy it anyway!
-Sif

September fades into October, and they continue crossing bases off their list of known Hydra bases. Sam wasn't sure who was more invested in this mission, Erica or Bucky. They both seemed to slip into different people when they entered a base, find the documents or computers in some cases, and destroy them. This thickness between Bucky and Erica; Sam wasn't sure what was going on. If he was being honest, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. The only thing that mattered was that they seemed to be getting along a little better now, which was beneficial for everyone around them. The occasional disagreement was typical; Erica had only shot him once during the past month, which was also progress.

Bucky pressed a rag against his shoulder, following Erica onto the jet. "You know, for someone who is supposed to have good aim, you suck.", he grumbled.

Erica scuffed, "It's not my fault you're always behind me. I have proven that I can care for myself, Buck; I don't need a babysitter." She pulled the first aid kit down. "Take off your shirt."

Bucky froze, eyes going wide, "Excuse me?"

Erica rolled her eyes, "Need to make sure the bullet is out; I don't think you want your body to heal around that thing." She pulled on some gloves.

Nodding, Bucky pulled his shirt over his head, hissing slightly as the skin around the bullet wound pulled; he sat down on the bench, observing as Erica disinfected the forceps. She carefully examined the wound, readying the rest of her needed materials.

"I see the bullet; it's not too deep there." She steadied her hand, "I'm going to pull it out, then stitch you up, okay?"

Bucky nodded, "Not the first time I've been shot; it won't be the last time." He let out a breathless chuckle, "Especially around you."

Erica laughed, "I guess you'll be glad to get rid of me when this is all over." She slowly inserted the forceps into his shoulder; it took several minutes to get a hold of the bullet.

"Nah, I like living life on the edge.", he gritted out.

Erica's eyes flickered up at his face, his steel-blue eye watching her hands work. Shaking her head, she carefully extracted the foreign object from his arm, quickly pressing gauze into the wound to stop the bleeding. She grabbed the needle. Quickly throwing a few stitches into his shoulder, she covered the damage with a gauze bandage. "All done.", she said, pulling off her gloves.

"Thank you." He smiled up at her, taking her hand as he stood up. Her eyes dropped to look at his hard muscular chest with bits of scruffy brown hair covering it, his well-defined abs a train of fuzziness leading down into his tactical pants.

"Hey guys, we're about twenty minutes out from the compound.", Joaquin said, walking past them.

Erica jumped quickly, pulling her hand out of his, "You should probably put a shirt on."

"Right." He gave a wicked smile.

Erica took her seat, pulling out the novel she had been trying to finish. But she never really paid attention; she just spent the time hiding behind the book to avoid Bucky.

She was in trouble. That much was clear.

________________________________________

Lazily making her way through the compound to the kitchen, she paused just outside the kitchen door, where Erica was met with a tantalizing aroma. Opening the door, she discovered Bucky standing at the stove, stirring a big metal pot. She took a moment to appreciate how domesticated he looked, light blue Hensley clinging to his arms and chest, faded blue jeans with a dish towel tossed over his shoulder. His eyes glanced up at her, a smirk on that handsome face.