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

Fifty

"Did you have a good birthday?" Sharon asked, tenderly running her fingers through Steve's hair, in a motion as though she was tucking the short strands behind his ear, even though the strands were too short to do so.

"Uh," Steve paused, his hand twitching as though he was physically fighting to not place his hands on her hips. Deciding to shove his hands into his shorts, Steve confirmed, "Yeah." Momentarily glancing at Bucky from the corner of his eyes, Steve admitted, "It was an amazing birthday."

Bucky pressed his lips together to keep himself from smugly smiling. To stop it from being too obvious, Bucky directed his attention downward while shoving his hands into his own pockets.

"Good," Sharon said. Bucky could hear the smile in her tone, and peeking up at her, Bucky's heart dropped into his stomach as he watched Sharon kiss Steve.

Like his heart, Bucky's gaze dropped down to the ground again. Yes, Sharon was Steve's girlfriend. But surely, they wouldn't still be together much longer, right? Steve said that his birthday wish was for Bucky to be single. Steve said that he had wanted to kiss Bucky before. How many times before, Bucky wasn't sure. But that had to mean something, right? RIGHT?!

Sharon pulled back and questioned, "Hopefully my present had something to do with making it amazing."

The slight seductive tone to Sharon's voice made Bucky sick. The wasps were furious in Bucky's stomach and he was sure that he was going to vomit. It was too much. Bucky wished that he didn't have such a vivid imagination in that moment because all he could picture was Sharon doing all the things that he wished that he could do with Steve.

"Of course," Steve said with forced nonchalance. But his voice still managed to crack, giving himself away.

Raking his hand through his hair, Bucky discreetly glanced over his shoulder to look at Steve. Casually, the two blondes were having a conversation, and Bucky wished that he could read lips. If only, so he knew if Sharon was going to hate him. It wasn't what he wanted, after all. Sharon was a good person from what Bucky had gathered in their brief instances of knowing each other.

"You okay?" Sam questioned, gaining Bucky's attention.

Bucky quirked a brow as he asked, "What?"

Sam exchanged a glance with Natasha as he repeated, "You okay?"

"Oh," Bucky said, understanding. Bucky nodded and reassured, "Yup. Why?"

Sam shrugged and studied Bucky. Bucky averted his gaze as he assumed that Sam knew what he and Steve were doing off to the side of the house. Admittedly, Sam was an observant guy, it would be stupid to think that he wouldn't have put it together. Especially by the shared glances between the boys.

All Bucky could do was pray that Sam wouldn't say anything. Not now. Not yet. Bucky wanted to be able to discuss things properly with Steve before anything was said on their relationship. Now Bucky just hoped that it would play out that way.

"You boys have fun," Sharon called out, cheerily waving at the group as she headed over to her Camry.

Snapping his attention to the blonde, Bucky's brows furrowed. She didn't seem heartbroken. Maybe she wasn't as serious about Steve as Bucky had originally assessed. Not that Bucky wanted to see her hurt and broken. The opposite really. Bucky was just surprised. He knew that he wouldn't be as calm and collected if Steve broke up with him.

"We always do," Clint loudly replied with a shit-eating grin, waving after Sharon.

With his hands still shoved into his pockets, Steve joined the group, only for Carol to announce, "We better get going too."

"Yeah," Hildy teased, "Not everyone had the day off."

Steve playfully rolled his eyes. Wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, Steve countered, "You just wanna have alone time."

"Can you blame me?" Hildy questioned, wrapping her arm around her girlfriend's side as Carol rested her chin on Hildy's shoulder as she affectionately beamed up at the girl.

"Yeah, yeah," Clint deadpanned, "We get it, you're in love."

Lovingly, Hildy pressed a sweet kiss to Carol's forehead before reaching out with her free hand to pull Clint into a hug. Carol took a step out of Hildy's grasp to embrace Steve in a farewell hug. Bucky took a step out of the way as the hugging teens exchanged hugging partners.

Awkwardly, Bucky stood there off to the side, directing his gaze downward. Carol crossed the group over to him, and questioned, "You the huggin' type, Buck?"

Looking up at the blonde, Bucky opened his arms, accepting her warm embrace. The two hadn't spent a lot of time together, but Bucky appreciated the gesture nonetheless. Even enjoying when Hildy traded spots with Carol. Feeling thoroughly welcomed into the friend group.

Solemnly, Bucky wondered if he'd still be welcomed once they found out that he's the reason why Steve broke up with Sharon.