Infatuation | Bucky Barnes

Chapter Forty

"I have questions." Was the first thing Catherine said after they broke the kiss.

Bucky chuckled into her hair while he kept his arm around her. "I'm sure you do, doll. You always do."

"Everything I know about you, it's either from a museum or a SHIELD file. You were always so secretive." She told him.

"Okay. How about I make us some dinner? Then we can talk." He suggested.

"You can cook?"

"Not that well." He admitted and motioned for her to follow him into his hut. It was simple just as she expected and just as Bucky wanted. There was a bed on one side of the room. On the other was a makeshift kitchen. There was no stove. Just a hearth for him to cook on and heat the room if it got too cold. They did give him a small fridge to store drinks and food.

On the counter were various fruits and vegetables that someone would deliver to the hut every few days along with any other supplies he needed. A maroon colored rug covered a small portion of the floor. There was a table situated in front of the only window with a chair. There was only one other door besides the door that lead to the inside of the hut and she assumed it was a bathroom.

"Do you...like it here?" She asked curiously as he began to pull various ingredients out.

"It's an upgrade from my last place, so yeah." He told her with a smile.

"That's true. Would you like any help?" She noted as he struggled with cutting up some of the vegetables.

Bucky moved to the side to allow her some room. "I'm trying to get the hang of only one arm. Some things can be a challenge. I hope you like soup. It's pretty much the only thing I can cook."

"Soup will be perfect."

They fell into a comfortable silence. Catherine chopped up vegetables while Bucky got the fire started outside. It was slightly too warm to be cooking inside. When she finished chopping the vegetables up she would throw them in the pot that already had some sort of meat in it. When Bucky walked inside he found her smiling to herself. She looked so happy and relaxed.

"You're smiling." He told her. "And it's a real smile."

"Well, I've been dreaming about this simplistic moment for a while. Just the two of us making dinner, not worried about anything. It's what normal people do." She explained to him.

"I wouldn't exactly call us normal, but I'm glad that you've found comfort here." He told her and brushed his lips against her's briefly. "I put a blanket on the ground outside so we can watch the sunset while the food cooks."

"How romantic." She teased and followed him outside. The sun has just started to set and there were only minimal clouds in the sky making the view unobstructed. She took a seat on the thin blanket while Bucky hung the pot over the fire. The air was starting to get super humid, but it still felt nice. He came to sit next to her. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "I missed you so much."

"Yeah? How did you even get out?" He asked.

"I was sent on a mission to kill my brother. I thought I had done a good job keeping my face hidden from cameras, but I was flagged on some watchlist for crimes we had committed prior. I also popped up on the missing persons list. SHIELD got a hold of the information and tracked me somehow. The man who would become my partner caught me. Then, I was brought to New York where I was told everything that happened."

"Wow. That must have been a hell of a day."

"It was hard and confusing and emotionally draining, but I wouldn't trade it for the world." She told him. "Not one bit of it. And I thought I was the one who wanted to ask the questions?