The Lightest Path

18

When Grace came home, Bucky was home too. Satisfied but exhausted because of the day, she walked in and found him standing in front of the bookshelf.
"Hey, you," she said and dropped her bag in the floor. He turned with a smile on his face and Grace laughed at his clothing.
Now he truly looked like Jesus and Bucky raised his brows as he watched Grace laugh so loud. "What?" he asked and he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulled her in for a kiss, ignoring that Grace was still laughing.
"This isn't really your style," she said wen he pulled away. "You look like Jesus!" She laughed again and became red, and Bucky pointed his eyes to Heaven.
"Blame Shuri, she gave a lot of clothing. It's similar to this," he defended himself and Grace smirked.
"Maybe you should tell her that you're more in for... white people clothing," snickered Grace and Bucky smiled as an answer.
"Good idea." He pulled away from her and Grace walked over to the kitchen. She wondered what she was going to cook for them, but then...
"I almost forgot!" she suddenly yelled, what made Bucky shriek.
She ran out of the hut and bumped herself hard against the opening of the hut. "Where are you going?" Bucky asked, almost concerned.
"Dinner is in the car!" She unlocked the door and pulled out a white bag. "Before it gets cold!"
"It's not even 6 PM," said Bucky confused as he watched her rush back inside. "And you hurt yourself!"
"I didn't," groaned Grace and she placed the bag on the dinner table. But Bucky shook his head and lied his hand on her shoulder, slowly turned her to him.
"Yes, you did," he said. "That was a nasty bump. And I see that your body agrees with me." His eyes pointed at the red spot on her side, staining in the white T-shirt.
"I bought this two days ago," moaned Grace and Bucky chuckled at her agonised voice.
"It can't be that bad," he mused. "At least we have dinner." That made Grace smile a little, but Bucky pushed her down at the chair.
"Let me take a look," he said. "I can get it out, the blood." His assuring words made Grace sigh, happy that she didn't have to do it. She hated doing the laundry.
"It's not bad," she already said before Bucky pulled up her shirt a little so he could inspect the war wound.
"Looks like you're right," he said and Grace blinked with her eyelashes.
"Of course," she said. "I am the doctor in here."
Bucky scowled. "I think it's gonna be bruise. But tell me, what kind of dinner did you take with you?" Softly he pressed a kiss close to the little wound - she didn't need a plaster. Grace shivered and Bucky got up.
"A real Wakandan pizza," she said, a little out of breath because electrics were racing through her body.
"Sounds... nice, I guess," chuckled Bucky and he sat next to her. "Did you..." He swallows for a moment. "Did you get the rapport?"
Grace knew what he was talking about. "I did," she said. "I read it in my lunch break." They locked eyes and Bucky nodded, let out his breath.
"I hope you're not too disappointed."
Grace raised her brows.
"A little," she said and shook her head and a slight of a smile on her face. "But we'll handle it." She leaned in for a soft kiss. Bucky rested his forehead against hers.
"We will," he murmured. "And you were right, farming is something Shuri recommended." He sniffed and Grace laughed at him.
"See? I know more about cryo than you expected. By the way, what did you dream about?" Grace was curious about that - but deep down she already knew the answer.
Bucky kissed her temple.
"Just you." Another kiss. "Just my doll."

- - -

Three weeks later

Shuri's warning was like a true wall between Grace and Bucky.
No intimacy.
Bucky was very strict about it, even though Grace kept insisting that everything would be fine. That she trusted him. But Bucky had the flexibility of a stick about that subject, she found out.
In the days that passed, they got to know each other very well. They actually knew a lot about each other now.
But not enough.
"What's your favourite book?" Bucky asked one night. They'd decided to go to bed early, and there they were.
Grace laid against his chest, with a book in her hands. His hand played with her hair, he didn't seem to mind that he didn't read and was pleased with the fact that Grace finally found some time to read herself. And he also seemed satisfied with the fact that she completely rested against him, legs intertwined.
She looked up at him. "If I tell you, promise me you won't judge me." She sounded very serious, and Bucky held his laugh.
"I won't. I promise." He kissed her cheek sweetly and waited for her to answer. She took a deep breath, almost as if she needed to muster courage.
"Pride and Prejudice," she sighed and Bucky scowled, rolled his eyes and fell back into the pillows like a bag of potatoes. Grace almost fell with him, but stayed up just in time.
"What's wrong with that?" she asked and she turned to face him, put her book aside.
"That's the worst story I've ever read," he moaned and closed his eyes. Like he was in pain by the memory. Grace laughed at his dramatic appearance.
"I love that book! What's wrong with it?" But then she realised something. "Wait, you actually read that book?" She started to laugh - she found out that Bucky wasn't such a reader, but someone who liked to work with his hands.
Well, hand in his situation.
"It's so boring," complained Bucky and he opened his eyes to look at her. "I had to read it for school and found out the hidden meanings that I couldn't find, so I made something up. All complete crap." He grinned.
"It's not boring!" Grace growled playfully.
"It is! It's just about a girl, that isn't that pretty which she sees as a bad quality. And then she meets Mr. Darcy!" Bucky made a wide gesture with his arm and made his voice high and squeaky, like he was a girl in love and Grace laughed at him.
"And of course, they don't like each other and then - BOOM! - Darcy is in love with her after all and it was a façade." He chuckled at Grace's expression. "It's boring."
"It's not," she said with a challenging voice and leaned over his chest, their faces close.
"Boring," he whispered back and Grace grinned.
"You're boring." Bucky placed his hand over his heart and acted like he was truly hurt. But Grace knew him longer and started tickling him in his sides - she found out that that was the spot.
Bucky tried to push her away, but she locked his wrist above his head. He laughed aloud, and Grace laughed too.
She loved it to see him like this - without worries, happy like he was supposed to be.
"S-Stop!" he laughed and Grace grinned, shook her head.
"Make me." Bucky smirked and kept laughing, he tried to wiggle his wrist lose. Grace leaned on it, not letting go.
"Grace!" he moaned. "Stop! P-Please!"
Grace bit her lip. Shook her head. No way she would stop now he looked so cute, so young. She stopped.
Panting, Bucky looked up at her with sparkling eyes. A gigantic smile lightened up his face and Grace leaned in for a kiss.
"I like your laugh," she said into the kiss and Bucky placed his hand on the back of her head, struggled through her thick, luxurious hair.
"And I like it when you wear the colour pink, like now." He placed his hand on her side, grabbing a hand full of the fabric of her shirt.
Grace looked down at her outfit - the same as almost every night, but this was a new one.
"Just pink?" she asked and Bucky shook his head.
"No, many colours," he said. "My favourite is light blue. You wore a cute dress last week in that colour. You were stunning." Grace blushed and looked away, fluttered as Bucky sat up right. His eyes still sparkled like stars.
"Don't do that," she whispered and still kept her eyes pointed down when Bucky tilted her chin to look at her face.
"Do what, doll?" He whispered too. She breathed out and locked eyes with him. She didn't know how to react, so she just smiled shyly at him.
"Oh, Grace," he mused when he realised. "When are you going to accept that I think you're absolutely beautiful?"
She blushed even harder now and felt her body heat up.
"It's hard," she said and placed her arms around his neck. "I'm not good at accepting compliments. Or gifts."
"You can't?" He seemed surprised. Grace just raised her shoulders.
"Well, of course I can accept them," she said rolling with her eyes, "but I'm... too modest for that. To do it without feeling overwhelmed and stuff. I can't really explain it."
Bucky rested with his forehead against hers and just smiled.
"You're beautiful," he said and Grace giggled. "And smart. And kindhearted. And a good ice cream eater." She laughed.
"Don't. I can't stop blushing!" Bucky laughed, too.
"Get used to it!" played Bucky and he smirked. "Because I'm going to compliment you as much as possible."
"You're way too sweet to me," she whispered and her heart flew out of her chest of happiness. Bucky had a blush of love on his cheekbones.
"You too, to me," he said back. Grace didn't want to talk anymore. She brushed with her lips against his own and slowly kissed him.
Bucky kissed her back, but kept his distance a little. But he did open up for her when she wanted to, and Grace sat astride him.
The kiss became more passionate, with tongues and hands going on their own journey. But Bucky's hand stayed where it was - on her cheek, slowly brushing down to her neck.
Suddenly, he stopped and backed off, carefully. Grace breathed heavy and looked at his face, confused. Bucky was breathing heavy, too.
"I'm sorry," he whispered against her lips. "But I don't want to take any risks."
Grace hid her disappointment with a smile. Yes, she knew he didn't want to take any risks. But still, she wanted more. This was the first time she actually felt so passionate and filled with affection about a man, and she wanted to show him this love.
But they couldn't. Not the way Grace actually wanted.
"It's okay," she assured him and took her distance, sat next to him again. "I understand."
He saw her disappointment and immediately pushed her against her chest, caressing her cheek with his thumb. He kissed her forehead.
"I know you do," he said. "Maybe it's for the best if we go to sleep."
She knew it would take some time for her to be able to sleep after this, but she would try.
Grace nodded and dimmed the light - he had a nightmare last night, he wanted the lights on. It hadn't been a bad nightmare, but Bucky still wanted to.
Grace lied down, with her back towards Bucky. He spooned her body with his own and placed his arm around her, holding her tight.
"G'night, doll," he whispered in her ear.
"Goodnight, Buck."