Archive of Our Own ^beta

Bucky didn’t realize how long he had been staring. Watching you as you worked, trying to get information for your recent mission. He was supposed to be oblivious, blending in, an ordinary face in the crowd. But he couldn’t pull his eyes away from you.

The way you smiled and joked with the target, weaseling your way into his good graces, waiting for him to make a mistake. It was like torture to Bucky, he knew your smiles weren’t genuine, the laughs weren’t real, but he hated watching you with someone else.

When you smiled and laughed with Bucky, it made his heart swell, his palm sweat, and dare he say, gave him butterflies. But watching you act that way with someone else, fake or not, left a bad taste in his mouth, and a hollow feeling in his gut.

He could imagine you acting this way with someone else, genuinely, being with someone who isn’t him. That thought alone made his heart ache. But he had no real right to feel that way, and he knew it. You weren’t together, you weren’t a couple. You had no idea Bucky felt this way about you, and that was his fault.

In the past, he would have had the confidence to walk up to you and tell you, but now, it seemed harder, almost impossible at times. Even with someone like you. Someone he knew inside and out. He could be happy with you. He could be comfortable, and safe. But did he deserve it yet?

“Bucky. BUCKY.”

Bucky almost jumped at the loud voice in his ear. “What?” He asked with an aggravated whisper.

“Damn man, did you hear anything I said?” Sam’s voice came through the comm again, obviously annoyed.

“No, I was busy.”

“Yeah, busy burning holes into Y/n’s head.”

Bucky felt a chill run up his spine, and his ears heat up. Looking around with just his eyes, he finally spotted Sam across the building on an upper floor, leaning against the rail, looking down at him. He could clearly see the smirk on his face.

“I’m making sure he doesn’t make us.” Another lie.

“Yeah, right. You better hope he doesn’t see the way you’re staring, or he will make us.”

“Shut up.” Buck grumbled.

“Get up here man. You can stare at Y/n later.”

Bucky rolled his eyes as he moved towards the stairs. Allowing himself to look back at you, he felt a small jolt run through him as his eyes met yours. You were watching him. Did you turn your ear comms back on? You didn’t here that right? No, you took your comms off entirely, just in case. He felt a wave of relief wash over him.

As the target was distracted by a server, you spared a small smile, and a nod at Bucky. Returning the gesture, he let out a deep breath as he made his way to Sam.

He couldn’t keep doing this. Thinking of you like this, wanting you to be his, but knowing you aren’t. He needed to do something. He needed to take the chance.

——— ——— ———

“Are you alright Bucky?”

Bucky looked over at you, as your voice broke him from his thoughts. You were looking at him with a concerned look.

He cleared his throat “Uhm, yeah, why?”

“You’ve been super quiet ever since we got back from the mission.”

Bucky looked ahead of you, he had decided to walk you to your car, with the determined though to ask you on a date before you left. But now, as your car grew closer and closer, he felt his confidence begin to falter.

“Uh, yeah, I just…got a lot on my mind.”

“Anything I can help with?” You offered with a soft smile, making Bucky’s heart palpitate.

You were now standing near your car, and you purposefully slowed down, hoping Bucky would open up a bit. You heard him take in a sharp breath as he stepped in front of you, facing you and leaning his arm on your car.

“I-I, uh.”

You saw him shake his head a bit in frustration. You stepped closer, and leaned against your car. “Buck, what’s going on?”

A small smile crossed his face as he let out a soft laugh. “I used to be good at this you know.”

“Good at what?” You asked softly, your own heart picking up pace.

He met your eyes cautiously, and still held a soft smile on his face. He was clearly nervous as he spoke. “Asking people on dates.”

You felt your heart leap, as your neck and ears felt hot. You bit your lip a bit as you repressed a grin. “You’re trying to ask me on a date?”

“Trying, being the operative word, yeah.” He lowered his head a bit as an almost embarrassed smile crossed his face. “I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while. I just- I’ve never met anyone that has made me feel this way. So I guess it scared me, in a way.”

Your heart swelled in your chest as he spoke. “I’d love too.”

Bucky’s head shot up, “You would?”

You giggled softly. “Of course I would.”

It seemed to Bucky, that for the first time, he was seeing how you looked at him. He was always so preoccupied with looking at you, thinking of you, how he felt about you, that he never really paid attention to how you looked at him. But now, it hit him, that the way you were looking at him, a smile on your face, eyes lit up. That you were looking at him, the same way he looks at you.

A smile stretched along is face as he spoke softly. “Great. I- uh, tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow’s good.”

“Alright. I’ll text you the time okay?”

“Is that your subtle way of saying you didn’t think past this point?”

He let out a laugh. “Yeah, maybe” he nodded.

You giggled. “Alright, text me. I’ll be ready.”

Bucky stepped back as you unlocked your car. He pulled the door open for you, and as you began to get in, you stopped and looked back at him. He stared at you expectantly, waiting for you to say something.

As you quickly leaned forward, and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, he felt his body freeze for a moment. “See you tomorrow.”

Coming back to his senses, he closed the door as you settled in your seat.

Bucky smiled and waved at you as you began to leave. His heart was beating so heavily in his chest it was almost hard to breath. His thoughts were so preoccupied, he didn’t realize that he had probably one of the biggest smiles on his face in years.

“Tomorrow.” He whispered softly to himself.

Suddenly realization began to seep in. Tomorrow. And he had nothing planned. You were right, he didn’t think past this point.

“Shit.”

Thinking abut the possibilities, he realized he didn’t know the area well enough, he’d have to do research. Or, he could ask Sam. No, maybe not. He’d think of something. Something amazing, he’d sweep you off your feet.

Hopefully.