Summer In Your Eyes: Seasons Series 1 (Lifeguard!Steve x Bucky Barnes Summer AU)

Eleven

Twenty minutes flashed by as Natasha finally pulled down her street. It was a nice suburb that surrounded a channel that twisted and turned behind houses before flowing into the lake. It was similar to the area where the Barnes' lake house was, and Bucky was certain that if someone took a quick glance at each neighborhood, they wouldn't be able to tell them apart.

The Romanoff vacation house was towards the end of the cul-de-sac and seemed to be getting remodeled. Bucky quirked a brow at Natasha as she pulled into her driveway.

"The basement flooded in the spring," Natasha informed, cutting the engine and leading the way inside of the tan house with navy-blue shutters.

"That sucks," Bucky feigned empathy as he stepped onto the porch.

Natasha shrugged and brushed off the comment, "It's justice for the way that Kris treated Mandy."

Bucky shook his head, but couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. Some might even call it karma that Natasha's younger brother, Kris', room was flooded after how he treated Mandy. Bucky couldn't help but feel like the universe was looking out for his sister who had been led on by a close friend and had her teen heart broken. No, not broken. Pulled out and tap danced on it.

Stepping into the Romanoff house, Bucky was momentarily on-guard. He hadn't seen Kris since the incident, and he wanted to keep it that way. Bucky wasn't a violent person, but if looks could kill...

Thankfully, Kris didn't seem to be home. The tension eased from Bucky's shoulders as he followed Natasha down the hallway towards her bedroom. Bucky was certain that the Romanoffs had only been at the vacation house for about a week, but Natasha's room was already a mess.

Piles of clothes -- both clean and dirty -- littered the floor, while stacks of books were randomly scattered around the room. Closing the door behind them, Natasha warned, "Watch your step."

"Kind of a given by now," Bucky scoffed, plopping down on Natasha's queen size bed.

Teasingly, Natasha flipped Bucky off while she gathered some clothes. Glancing over her shoulder, she asked, "I'm gonna take a shower, do you need to use the bathroom?"

"Nah," Bucky dismissed as he picked up a paperback from Natasha's cluttered bedside table.

"You sure?" Natasha asked, quirking a brow at Bucky.

Settling in, Bucky theatrically lifted his arm to smell his armpit. Taking in a deep whiff to figure out if he smelled or not. However, all Bucky could pick up was his citriusy deodorant mixed with Natasha's apparently unscented sunblock.

Bucky gestured for Natasha to come closer, "C'mere."

Natasha's brows furrowed, and she gave Bucky a suspicious glance while her hand rested on the bathroom doorknob. Glancing into the bathroom, Natasha questioned, "Why?"

"I wanna make out," Bucky deadpanned before stating the obvious, "I wanna know if I smell."

Rolling her eyes and exaggerating a sigh of annoyance, Natasha made her way towards her bed. She leaned into Bucky and pressed her nose into Bucky's armpit before sniffing.

"Well?" Bucky asked impatiently as he giggled when she purposely tickled his side.

Standing up straight, Natasha gave a dismissive shrug and stated, "I mean, it's obvious that you've been outside and have been sweating. But it's also obvious that you're wearing deodorant to mask your natural musk."

"So," Bucky's brows furrowed and he assumed, "That's... a no...?"

"Correct," Natasha smiled and headed towards the bathroom again. She paused with her hand on the doorknob again as glanced back at Bucky and asked, "Do you need anything else?"

Bucky feigned thought for a moment before saying, "I'm sure I can manage, if I do."

"Cool," Natasha confirmed and finally headed into her bathroom.

As she closed the door behind herself, Bucky directed his attention to the paperback in his hands. Cream background with a hand reaching up to grab a peach hanging from a tree. Sweet as Cream was the title and Bucky mindlessly ran his fingertips over the raised text, almost mesmerized by the cover.

Muffled, the shower water could be heard as Bucky crossed his legs at his ankles. Opening the older book and trying to be gentle with the aged, yellow pages. The paperback started, "'Summer had never been sweeter than when I was with him.'"

Same, Bucky thought before continuing, "'I was seventeen, and isn't that just the age of summer love? Even years later, I know that I've never loved anyone more than I loved him.'"

Bucky paused, whoa, isn't that a coincidence?

Quickly, Bucky immersed himself wholly into the paperback. The further that Bucky read, the more Bucky found himself relating to the narrator, Eloise. With each word, Bucky prayed that her crush, Tucker, would feel the same. Bucky wanted it to work out for them. Bucky wanted it more than he thought he would.

"James," Natasha called, snapping her fingers to get his attention.

"Huh?" Bucky snapped his gaze to find Natasha towel drying her hair with an amused expression on her face.

"You like it?" Natasha assumed, gesturing towards the paperback.

Bucky blushed and admitted, "Maybe."

"Maybe," Natasha mocked, rolling her eyes as she grabbed her deodorant from her dresser. Applying it to her underarms, Natasha said, "You can borrow it, if you want."

"The book or your deodorant?" Bucky smirked.

Natasha narrowed her eyes at her best friend and offered, "Either or."

Lifting his hands, Bucky clapped, suggesting that he wanted Natasha to toss him her deodorant. She did, and nearly nailed him directly in his face. Thankfully, Bucky had quick reflexes and managed to not get injured in the process before using the fresh deodorant.

"Ya ready?" Natasha asked, twisting her damp hair up and held it in place with a large hair clip.

"Yup," Bucky confirmed, standing from her bed and using a post-it note to save his place in the paperback.

But Bucky didn't necessarily look ready, so Natasha grabbed onto his wrist and pulled him out of the room, "C'mon."