Little Secrets, Little Bucky

A Tricky Conversation, A Nap, And An Important Bond

Despite her previous apprehension, Y/n ended up having as much fun as everyone else did on the zipline. All four of them ended up going three times, with the exception of Bucky. He got to go four times because it was his birthday trip. The hike down was much easier than the way up and before long they had arrived back at the cabin.

"I say we eat lunch, take a nap, and go swimming," Steve suggested, heading for the kitchen.

"Ooo, I second that!" Y/n called from where she was unlacing her boots. "Buck, are you in?"

"You know I never say no to a nap," he joked, going to help Steve make sandwiches.

"Oh we know," Sam teased. Bucky had a habit lately of falling asleep just about anywhere on their floor. They'd most often find him on the couch in the common room, all curled up with the blanket that had been bought for him when he'd come home for the first time.

"Shut up, Wilson," Bucky grumbled, grabbing the condiments from the fridge door while Steve sliced the French rolls. Sam rolled his eyes, gesturing for Y/n to follow him outside. They walked out and got to work setting up the hammocks that Sam had packed.

Back in the cabin, Steve was being unusually quiet as he started making his sandwich and it was putting Bucky on edge. Finally as he was adding lettuce he spoke. "So you and Y/n seem really close lately," he said carefully.

"Of course we're close," Bucky said, rolling his eyes at the obvious observation.

"No I mean like, close close, like me and Sam close."

Bucky put the knife he was using to spread mayo on his sandwich down in shock as he flushed red. "Steve-"

"Look I know you, and I know how you act when you've got a thing for somebody," Steve said, gesturing pointedly with his own knife. "I can see the way you look at her."

"You mean when I'm little?" Bucky asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. "Cause that's not romantic, Steve."

"Of course not when you're little," Steve assured him. "That's a different look. I mean when you're big."

"I don't look at her any differently than I look at you," Bucky tried to defend himself.

"If you ever looked at me like that Sam would be on your ass in a heartbeat," Steve said, not buying Bucky's excuse for a second. "Every time she compliments you, you get this big dopey smile on your face and start turnin' red as a tomato."

Bucky cursed how well the other man knew him as he continued putting together his sandwich. "Look Steve, even if I did have feelings for her, which I don't-" he gave Steve a sharp look. "It could never work out."

"Why not?" Steve asked with a confused look on his face. "I looked it up, it's totally fine to be in a relationship with her as long as it's kept separate from your caregiver-little dynamic. Lots of people have significant others as caregivers."

Bucky looked at him in disbelief, face burning red. "Steve, I know that a lot of people are in relationships with their caregivers. I've looked it up too," he quietly admitted. "That's not the problem."

"Well what's the problem?"

"She'd never want me like that, Stevie," Bucky said in a defeated tone. "In all honesty I think that she's seen too much to ever be interested in me."

"Buck, have you seen the way that she looks at you? Not when you're little, but when you're big." Steve put his sandwich on a plate and got to work on Sam's while Bucky tried to finish his own. "It's like you're the only person on the planet." Bucky stayed silent, and Steve thought back to what he'd said moments ago. "What do you mean she's seen too much?"