Chapter Text
Bucky isn’t himself or maybe he’s too much himself. No panic. No noise. Perfect quiet. Perfect focus.
Down the hall, right to get into the lobby, six paces—there’s Thomas Walker, looking beaten, and yet he’s laughing.
People are telling Bucky to stop, but he’s done listening to others.
Thomas turns, sees him, and his smirk falls off his face when a metal hand seizes the front of his shirt; it must be the cold look in Bucky’s eyes or the bulk of his muscles when his right fist pulls back to strike. The cop moves in slow motion.
But Steve comes in like a wave; he shoves Thomas away and uses all his strength to walk Bucky back, managing only three steps.
“Don’t.” Steve breathes hard. “Don’t ruin everything you’ve gotten back.”
“Get out of my way,” Bucky growls.
Thomas shouts, “What the hell is going on here?” He sees John. “Why isn’t he in jail.”—then, as if remembering just now—“He tried to kill me!”
Other officers circle with their hands hovering over their weapons.
“Everyone calm down,” Phil says to the room, eyes darting between the super soldiers and the father.
“I’ll calm down when he’s back behind bars.” Thomas points at his son who has no energy to return the man’s anger; Lena, beside John, has enough for both of them.
Thomas mutters, “Bitch.”
Bucky lunges. Steve yanks him back.
Cops start making demands.
“You're willing to punch me over him?” Thomas turns his attention to Bucky.
Lena yells. Cops shout. Phil’s training keeps him calm.
And Thomas savors the anger he gets from Bucky. “Take him, he’ll be your biggest disappointment.”
“You put your hands on him.” Bucky glares.
“As is my right.”
Bucky throws Steve aside.
Thomas grins. He’s ready. He doesn’t know who this man is that’s about to kill him, but he’s ready. Only, John moves between them. And Bucky’s body revolts, locks up—even this side of him could never raise a hand against John.
“Don’t,” John says.
Still, Bucky can’t stand seeing John so close to Thomas; he tenses again.
“Bucky.” His voice cracks. “Don’t do it. Please.”
Thomas reaches out. Cops pull him back. John keeps Bucky at bay; he doesn’t have Steve’s strength, doesn’t need it.
“Don’t tell me he’s not worth it.” Bucky clenches his jaw.
“It’s not—”
“John.”
“Trust me.”
“You think I’ll hate myself after? Trust me, I’ll feel much better.” Bucky glares at Thomas over John’s shoulder. He then notices something unsettling in John’s eyes, something he can’t read immediately, and fearful spite takes over. “You’ll hate me, is that it?”
“No, Buck,” John gasps.
Bucky tries to listen through hard breathing and instincts clawing at his bones.
John says, “I couldn’t hate you, but… we don’t have to be like this, right?”
John looks scared.
But, not of you.
Of us.
“I know you could do it. I know you’ve done worse. I know he deserves it…”
Bucky relaxes a fraction, losing himself to John’s eyes.
“Can’t we just leave? Together.” His voice wavers.
Bucky says, “I can’t forgive him.”
“I can’t either. So let’s just forget. Please.”
With Bucky’s metal hand still clenched at his side, he finally blinks and sees his surroundings, not just his target. He sees the cops with hands near their belts. Steve ready to tackle him. Phil holding his breath.
Bucky exhales; his chest hurts. Everything… He turns away and pushes his hands into his hair.
The tension in the air doesn’t dissipate, but it diffuses enough that the rest can breathe, especially when Bucky shoulders through the front door to the cold air. There, on the concrete, he hates himself.
For attacking. For wanting to kill him. For not killing him.
John follows him outside. He doesn’t say anything, just stands there, looking sideways at Bucky until the silence becomes too much.
“I’m sorry.”
Bucky laughs; it’s stitched with disbelief, frustration, exhaustion. “Why the hell are you sorry?”
“I don’t want to control you. Or guilt you… I just want to be with you.” John fights not to cry. “I can’t lose someone again.”
Bucky blinks in confusion. “John.”
Cops. SHIELD. Hydra. Toal control will never be theirs; it’s a joke to think so, no matter where they run. There’s only one thing they can control.
Bucky throws himself around John. “I’m never leaving you. I’m sorry I almost threw that away. I…”
John hugs him back, fingers digging into the familiar leather jacket. “I know.” And John does know, he felt it when he tried to attack Thomas because he threatened the Hoskins; it lit something in him, and he didn’t care if he burned with it. But Lemar loved him enough to stop him. And John loves Bucky to do the same.
There’s commotion inside the station. But one-by-one they’re joined outside. Steve checks on Bucky. Lena checks on John. Last is Phil, who stuffs away his badge and isn’t above begging to leave this place.
They wordlessly know and agree the hospital is next.
Lena looks down the street at the bus stop when Phil hails a large black SUV. She hesitates on the curb, but, when Captain America holds the door open for you, you can’t refuse.
It’s a quiet ride filled with unasked questions.
But Coulson must read their minds, because, all he says when they arrive at the hospital is: “Don’t worry about anything. Just focus on Lemar.”
Inside, Lena knows where to go. John is on her heels, until she all but drags him to the ER herself. Of course Bucky goes with him like a second shadow.
The hospital is small. They sit in the waiting room with a farmer who got careless about chainsaw-kickback and flu-ridden kids and their parents.
People know they shouldn’t stare, but it’s John Walker, so most don’t care enough to pretend they’re minding their own business. Bucky glares at whoever he can until the intake nurse finally decides John’s injuries are higher priority and takes them back to a row of cots and curtains.
John sits on the edge of the stiff bed while staff come in and out of his screened-off space, collecting and growing the swath of tools and antiseptics and bandages to be used. He hates it.
“Hey.” Bucky nudges him.
“Feels unnecessary.”
“Because of the serum?”
John shrugs.
Bucky steps into his line of sight. “Helping you is not unnecessary. You’re not invincible now. You just have a better excuse to be reckless.”
“Learned from the best.” John tries to joke.
Bucky frowns. He reaches up and gently brushes his fingertips back through the shorter blond hair, careful of snagging on blood-caked knots. His eyes move over John’s face: those blue eyes, the strong jaw, the split in his lips. Then a memory blooms into a soft smile—he can’t believe he got to be kissed at the top of a waterfall. It’s a shame the moment was tainted by everything after.
“John,” Bucky’s voice is low. “Can I kiss you again?”
John flinches, and blush finds a way to redden through the bruises.
“Please.”
“Buck, I…” John’s eyes dart up and down. But he stills.
He leans in. Gently. Bucky expected he’d have to stave off some urge to devour, to hold back from hurting him. But they kiss. It’s bad, lips chapped, nerves making them stiff, and yet Bucky’s chest fills from this alone. The connection. The feeling of John’s hand on his shirt, feeling John want this, want him, is all it takes to make his brain go blank.
And then Bucky gets to open his eyes and see someone so beautiful. The same eyes he looked into at the derailment, the ones that made him hesitate.
Their breathing quickens in rhythm. Bucky tilts his head and leans in again when the curtain pulls back, and Steve jumps.
“Oh—sorry! Uh.”
Bucky doesn’t move away, meaning John can freely hide his face in Bucky’s shoulder.
“You okay?” Bucky mumbles to him.
“No.”
“Sorry.” Steve says again, blushing, mind clearing trying to process. He and Bucky look at each other over John’s shoulder. Slow realization settles for Steve, and then for Bucky.
Steve expects Bucky to joke or say something charming and, when he doesn’t, it hurts, because Steve is thinking of a different Bucky from long ago; this one just stares back with intensity that’s both gentle yet guarded.
Steve gives something up in that moment, not realizing until just now that he’d been silently holding onto it for days.
He clears his throat. “Sorry. Again. But Lemar is waking up. He’ll be okay.”
John exhales shakily against Bucky. He pushes himself off to look at Steve, who tries to make his expression neutral.
“He’s okay?” John asks.
“After bed rest and rehab, yeah. His family is up there in his room.”
John nods slowly.
“They want you to join them when you’re done,” he adds.
John stares at Steve a second longer looking for anger or judgment.
Steve only nods and leaves.
Bucky follows and grabs his arm before he can get around the hallway corner.
Steve yanks free. “You don’t need to explain yourself.”
Bucky freezes.
“Really.” Steve exhales, but tension remains in his shoulders. “I should’ve… knocked… or assumed…”
“Steve.”
“No, it’s okay, Bucky. Promise.”
Bucky frowns. “If you want to talk…”
“Nothing to talk about.” Steve forces a smile. “Go. It’s okay. I’ll be upstairs with Coulson.”
Bucky watches him go, but he doesn’t follow. He returns to John and sits with him while doctors and nurses clean and stitch his wounds. Never leaving his side, he’s quiet, distracted, but manages to give John the smallest smile whenever he glances at Bucky for support.
When John’s hands are bandaged and cared for, Bucky holds them and rubs his thumb over the scars on his wrists from Hydra’s restraints. They don’t say anything to each other; they don’t have to. Bucky leans his head against John’s and keeps him close until the nurses are done cleaning up around them.
“Ready to go upstairs?” he asks softly.
John says into his chest, “Just another minute.”
Phil holds his hands around a paper cup of coffee and sits in a plastic chair away from it all. Steve finds him eventually, joining with a deep sigh.
“Go ahead.” Phil drinks. “Say I told you so. I know you and Barnes have your opinions.”
“I don’t have your job, Phil. I don’t want it either. I did think I’d have to fight harder to convince you about John.”
Coulson says, “I didn’t want to antagonize him. I don’t enjoy pushing people, but I needed to know who he was, what he looks like under pressure.”
“Bucky has been trying to tell you for days who John is.”
“He’d do anything for him, that’s obvious enough.”
Steve tenses.
“It’s also why I couldn’t trust his judgement,” Phil adds.
“You didn’t seem to trust my judgment either.”
“Same issue, Captain. When it comes to Barnes, you’re about as biased as anyone can get.” Phil smiles.
Steve is uncharacteristically blank.
“Not saying it’s wrong, but if something happens because we assumed he’s just a kid, then that’s on me.”
“I get it, but you can push people to become the thing you fear… That comment you had in the room, about most people not being me, that’s the kind of thing that can do it.”
“I know you’re uncomfortable being put on a pedestal, Steve, but there’s a reason you were chosen. And it’s a comparison John is going to receive whether he wants it or not, so he needs to become comfortable hearing it.”
Steve sighs. It’s an argument that could take them in circles. But for him, Bucky has always been proof discrediting Phil’s claim; Bucky’s been proof of a lot of things for him.
Phil finishes the coffee. “I can be equally as worried for John as I am for those around him, speaking of which, where’s Barnes?”
“Where do you think?”
Phil raises a brow. “Are you okay with that?”
Steve stares at the opposite wall, trying to process, but, eventually, the answer comes easily. “I just want him to be happy,” he says. “There’s a part of me that wants him to be the same Bucky I knew back then, but I’m not the same man. Seems unfair to hold him to that standard when he’s been through so much more…” Steve looks at Phil with some sadness. “John understands this Bucky better than I do.” He sighs and forces himself to move on. “So, what are you going to do?”
Phil thinks it’s all quite unfair. Everything about this strange situation. He says, “I wanted them to trust me because of SHIELD, but how am I any better than Hydra if I punish them for something they didn’t choose?”
“I hate to tell you Phil, but Bucky isn’t going to trust you for another decade.”
“I figured.” He chuckles. “Good thing you super soldiers age well. At least that mentality will keep them safe.” He stands and stretches. “Come on, Captain.”
It’s time he had another talk with John Walker.
Phil gently approaches the Hoskins’ room in the ICU, grateful the door is already ajar. He takes in the scene of the family around Lemar who’s smiling despite being teased by his older sister. Then there’s John, just slightly out of reach, but there all the same, sitting and staring at Lemar as if he’s still trying to process and believe he’s alright. Bucky is right beside John with a hand on his back.
Phil gently knocks. “Sorry to interrupt, but I was hoping to talk to John about some things before I leave.”
Bucky angles himself between them.
“Alright.” John stands.
Lena rubs his arm. “Don’t go far.”
“I won’t,” he says.
Bucky stands as well.
Phil says, “I was looking to talk to him alone.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m just getting coffee wherever you’re talking with him.” Bucky leers.
John can’t help rolling his eyes.
Steve pokes his head into the room, and Lemar’s eyes light up.
“Holy shit.” He breathes out.
Bert Hoskins nearly pinches him. “You do not cuss in front of that man.”
“It’s okay.” Steve chuckles. “I’m sure I’ve heard worse.” He doesn’t approach until it’s clear he’s welcome.
John watches as Steve introduces himself to Lemar, and it’s like all pain evaporates; Lemar’s smile goes ear to ear when he shakes his hand, and Steve talks to him like it’s the most natural thing in the world for him to be here with this random, bed-ridden teen. John glances at Lemar’s face one last time and realizes he doesn’t have that wonder anymore.
Seeing Steve walk into his jail cell earlier felt like a burden, a bad mirror.
John is relieved seeing Lemar happy, but he quietly mourns his own childhood in the time it takes for him to walk out the door. Then there’s Bucky, leaning into his side without question, and John smiles again.
“I was thinking some fresh air might be good.” Coulson says at the stairwell.
“I don’t think we’re allowed on the roof,” John replies.
Coulson shrugs. “I’m sure they won’t mind. A friend of mine is donating a large sum to improve the pediatrics ward and fund debt relief for patients in need. He says it’s for the optics, but really it’s because he’s secretly a nice guy.”
“There’s no way you have friends.” Bucky crosses his arms.
“Funny, he’d say the same thing. Come on.” He gestures. John and Bucky follow him upstairs. It’s a fight to get Bucky to agree to wait inside.
“I’m fine,” John says under Bucky’s protective shade.
“Doesn’t change anything,” Bucky says, crowding John’s space before finally letting him leave. The heavy door closes between them.
John sits against an HVAC vent.
Phil looks out at the soft Georgia landscape in that quiet moment before dawn. “I know this is going to seem like prying but try to understand it’s my job.” He pauses to give John a chance to brace himself. “I have something attached to your file you might want to see.” He pulls out his phone.
“I have a file?” John can’t help but grin a little, though muted by the bruises and exhaustion.
“Don’t read too much into it,” he deadpans. “Before we could have an actual face-to-face discussion, I needed to figure out who John Walker was, what made him tick. So I got a hold of information about your brother. I’m sorry by the way—I can’t imagine.”
John furrows his brow.
Coulson says, “I have Mike’s psych evals a month before he killed himself. He—“
John stops him. “I don’t want to know. I don’t need them.”
“Are you sure? The Army didn’t give your family much.”
“Mikey deserves privacy,” John says. “…Besides, he already told me everything he needed to in his letter.” Told me he’s sorry. He wanted me to be good… And he loved me. John shrugs, sadly, eyes going to the faraway sunrise. “He already gave me so much, I don’t need anything more from him.”
Phil smiles with sympathy. “You know, I’m a skeptical person by nature, but I trust my own eyes.” He goes to sit near John. “You’ve been through a lot, and most people would come out changed for the worse.”
John shifts, uncomfortable. “I don’t think I’d be here without Bucky or the Hoskins.”
“I can tell. You know that’s not a weakness, right?”
John nods.
“I wanted to offer you an opportunity, John, but also a choice. You can certainly stay here in Custer’s Grove with your family. SHIELD would keep an eye on you from a distance to make sure you and them are safe, and you’re free to try and live your life as best you can. Or, you can finish your schooling at SHIELD. We have a little more experience dealing with unusual but exceptional people. We’re not conscripting you, but if you feel a calling, we could always use good people to join the cause.”
“I always thought I’d got to West Point and then join the army like Mikey.”
“A noble goal.”
John fidgets. “Where’s Bucky in all this?”
Coulson expected as much. “We’re going to continue to ask for his support to learn about the Winter Soldier program, but I think I’m overdue acknowledging his own right to freedom… What I’m trying to say is, Bucky can do whatever he likes—within the law, of course.”
John smiles down at his hands. “I’d want to talk to him.”
Phil chuckles, “I’ll bet you twenty bucks I know what his answer will be.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I do. He’s going to go wherever you are.”
Like it’s so simple. And John would want that. He doesn’t know if he’d be happy without it, but doesn’t mean he’s going to go guilt tripping Bucky into hanging around when the man’s finally free.
Bucky speaks loudly through the heavy rooftop door, “John, you owe him twenty bucks.”
John stares at the door and starts to laugh; Bucky rushes out not wanting to miss the sight.
John rolls his eyes. “I don’t actually have twenty dollars.”
Coulson stands. “It’s okay. I don’t charge interest, just means we’ll have to talk again. Take some time to think it over.” He glances between the two. “We’ll be in touch.”
John waits for the door to close behind him before looking back up at Bucky who’s shielding him from the light winter breeze. Not that either of them are cold. He scoffs, “Really?”
“What?”
John shakes his head and chuckles. “Nothing.”
“No, what?”
“You were listening in?”
“Can’t help it.” Bucky leans into his shoulder. “Super soldier hearing.”
John looks down.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I just… He said it was a choice, but I don’t know how to tell the Hoskins I’m leaving again.”
Bucky flinches. “So… you’re taking his offer?”
“Well, I don’t know,” John groans. “I feel like I can’t stay here, but how can I leave Lemar?” He jumps to his feet to pace. “How do I force you to live at SHIELD if I want to go there? What, are you going to sleep in the basement of the Hoskins’ house if I stay?”
“Hey.” Bucky gently hooks his wrist and pulls him in, careful of injuries. “There’s no pressure. No one’s forcing anything.”
John sighs and melts against him.
Bucky adds, “Believe me when I say I don’t care where I end up, as long as you’re there.”
“I don’t want the Hoskins to think I’m ungrateful. Or Lemar to think I’m abandoning him... But I can’t stay here. I can’t go back to that school… Can’t be in the same town as my dad... But my sister’s here, and leaving her in that house—”
Bucky grabs John’s face and pulls him down into a deep kiss. John’s mind fuzzes out until there’s just this. He breathes against Bucky’s lips and kisses him again until Bucky holds his face to stare.
“Stop trying to guess what everyone else wants from you. What do you want?”
“…I don’t want to be a high school drop out.”
“Okay, so you—”
“I also want to do something… useful.”
“Then we—”
“But I’ll be happy just as long as you’re there.”
Bucky sighs. “You didn’t really tell me anything.”
“Sorry.”
He frowns. “No one’s rushing us.”
“Well, I can’t be a forty year old senior in high school.”
“Yes you can. I’m almost one-hundred.”
“No, you’re not.” John gasps, content to be wrapped in Bucky’s arms. He starts doing mental math. “Holy shit,” he laughs. “Wow, you’re so old.”
“Yeah,” Bucky grins. “Means you have to be nice to me.”
“Mmm.” John pretends to leer. He gently slides his fingers through Bucky’s hair and exhales. “Seeing you like this still breaks my brain a little.”
“Good thing you’re smart.” He pulls him down again for another kiss, pressing fingers into the nape of his neck.
Sunrise breaks against his hair and halos him.
Bucky brushes his thumb over a bruise on John’s jaw, tilting his head.
“I’m okay.” John guides his hand away.
“Can you stop saying that?”
“Bad habit.”
“I know. Stop.”
“But I am okay. Right now.” He presses his forehead against Bucky’s and smiles.
“Oh, hey…” Bucky pulls something out of his pocket. “I remember you once got very upset at me for taking this.” He hands back Mikey’s old keychain.
John squeezes it and all but collapses against Bucky in complete relief and affection.
John isn’t comfortable asking the Hoskins to step outside, so he waits until they go to grab food. Glory remains behind to keep Lemar company, but the moment John pokes his head in she rolls her eyes and steps out, ruffling John’s hair on the way.
“Love you, Peaches,” she says.
John groans at his sister before going to sit with his brother.
“You know,” Lemar’s voice is rough from all the sleep. “You still look as shitty as I feel.”
“Thanks, that really makes me feel better.” John frowns.
Lemar chuckles before wincing. “I noticed you haven’t groveled yet.”
“What?”
“You know, apologizing, blaming yourself.”
“Trust me. I was… but I know why you did it.” He shrugs. “Thanks, Lemar. I wouldn’t be here without you.”
“Yeah,” Lemar is pleased with himself. “Someone has to keep you from running head first into trouble.”
John licks his lips. “About that…” He looks down at the shield keychain fidgeting in his fingers.
Lemar sees and furrows his brow.
“I… can’t stay in Custer’s Grove.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I need to leave, Lemar.”
“No. You don’t.”
“Lemar—”
“John, I was shot… I, I need you, man. I can’t…” Pain keeps Lemar from getting too worked up, doesn’t mean he doesn’t feel those emotions twisting in his chest. “Is it your dad?”
“Sort of,” John cannot look him in the eye.
“What do you mean sort of? If you’re going to leave me again, you better have a good fucking reason!”
John exhales and looks up. “I’m different now.”
“Great, put it on your college essay, don’t use it as bullshit to tell me...” Lemar’s been with John since they were kids; he can read him like he’s reading weather from the clouds, knows what’s fear or anger, when recklessness is inevitable. Right now, Lemar just sees that on-brand Walker determination, which means there’s no changing his mind. “You’re serious.”
John nods.
Lemar sinks back into the pillow. “And you’re not going to tell me the whole truth this time?”
John works his jaw. “I…” He glances at the doorway. “I have the serum.” His knee starts to bounce. “Sort of like the one Bucky has, but it’s not really perfect—that doesn’t matter.” John shakes his head, bending forward. “But I’m not normal now, I can’t just go back to school and pretend.”
Lemar is silent for a while, and John is too afraid to look at him. Lemar eventually asks, “What, you a superhero now?”
“No.”
“Not yet, you mean.”
“Dude, don’t—”
“I know you, John.” He smiles when John finally raises his head. “You were going to be throwing yourself in front of danger for other people anyway, you’ll be good.”
“I’m not really a calm person.” He squeezes the Captain America shield.
“Just be yourself, I already like that guy.”
John huffs a reluctant smile.
Lemar adds, “You know this means you’re leaving me alone with Liv to help me through rehab.”
John wipes at his eyes and chuckles. “Sorry. She’s going to be a drill sergeant.”
“And yet you’re still leaving me.” Lemar says, somewhat jokingly, but then the shield keychain gets pressed into his palm. From one brother to the next.
“I’m never leaving you, Lemar,” John says. “…I just need to figure some stuff out.”
Lemar wraps his fingers around the gift with all the strength he has, and says “Just don’t take too long or I’ll be coming after you.”
John looks down in relief.
Bucky appears quietly in the doorway. “I’ll keep an eye on him in the meantime.”
“Sounds like you’re just as bad,” Lemar shakes his head. “But you better keep him safe.”
Bucky nods and looks at John fondly. “Promise.”
EPILOGUE
The air is winter chilled. Steve and Bucky stand outside and stare at a pink sunrise.
Steve jokes, “You know they have commercial air travel now, Buck. Driving everywhere is kind of old school.”
“What can I say,” he grins and puts on his shades. “I am old school.”
They walk down the road from the SHIELD campus.
“He’s doing the right thing.” Steve says after a minute. “SHIELD’s not perfect, but it needs good people willing to put in the work.” He glances and smiles. “You and John are good people.”
Bucky rolls his eyes. “I’ve decided being good is overrated.”
Steve chuckles. “Well, it’s certainly more complicated these days.”
Around the corner, they hear a motorcycle engine turn on.
“How long are you two going be gone?” Steve asks.
“His winter break is about two weeks. Then SHIELD classes start.”
“Where will you go in the meantime?”
Bucky shrugs. “Wherever we want.”
Steve’s shoulders relax. “So, two weeks and then we start unknotting all that Hydra stuff in your head, right?”
“Damn. I was hoping you’d forget.”
Steve elbows him.
Buck rubs that arm. “Ow, just not looking forward to parts of it.”
“It’ll be worth it, and I’ll be there every step of the way.”
“Yeah, I know… Hey, can we talk more when I get back?”
Steve smiles and sighs. “Yeah, course Buck.”
Bucky pats his shoulder.
Steve offers Bucky, and then John on the bike, a small salute; John returns it with two fingers before going back to fiddling with a strap.
Bucky watches him go a long moment before joining John.
Bag fixed onto the side of the bike, Bucky swings his leg over their duffel and sits down behind, firmly wrapping himself around John, and burying his face into his neck.
“Morning.” John reaches up and fixes Bucky’s hair.
Bucky holds on tighter.
John asks, “So, where do you want to go?”
“Don’t care,” he mumbles into John’s shoulder. “Wherever you are.”
“I’ll believe you one day.” He revs the throttle. “Last chance, you sure you’re okay with me driving?”
Bucky breathes John in then sighs deeply. “I’ll get over it.”
“Promise I won’t get us killed.” He knocks up the kickstand.
“Kiss for good luck?”
John freezes; he’ll never stop getting butterflies hearing that.
“Hey, I’m getting bored over here,” Bucky grumbles. “Maybe I should drive.”
“No.” John huffs. “I can do it.”
“Yeah?” Bucky grins.
John sees his own nerves reflected back in the shades; he closes his eyes and leans in. Bucky meets him. The kiss is slow and warm. Bucky’s hand comes up to hold John’s jaw and brush a thumb over his cheek that makes John shiver. When John ends it, Bucky kisses him again.
John pulls back and clears his throat, facing forward and trying to ignore the blush spread across his face and neck. “Good. Nice.”
“Mm.” Bucky hums and rests his chin on John’s shoulder.
John’s eyes glance. “Maybe I should have the shades too?”
“Don’t push it.”
John chuckles. “Right.”
He drives out of the compound and back onto a long road going nowhere and everywhere, just the two of them. That’s all they need.
THE END