Hallowed (B. Barnes)

Chapter Eight

Bucky doesn't wait on setting up his date with Sydney, his fear of chickening out and backing out. So the weekend after everything happened with Alina and the whole misunderstanding, he's standing at her door, the sun only just setting behind him. He adjusts his jacket before knocking on her apartment door. Sydney opens the door and smiles when she sees him there, he can't help but smile back at her.

"Hey" she greets, he holds out the flowers Alina had created and she smiles taking them from her.

"Hi" he greets back, she chuckles a little.

"They're beautiful" she tells him touching the petals of the flowers. "Alina really outdid herself"

"She knew this was important" Bucky offers, she smiles wider and nods.

"Let me just put these upstairs and I'm all yours" she assures him before heading back into her apartment. Bucky takes a breath and looks around the street, it's pretty empty this time of night, a few revealers heading to the bars but not much more than that.

.................

Bucky's hand holds Sydney's as they approach the host station in the restaurant, it's a little more high brow than he is used to, smells better than even his apartment. She's his anchor. His safest blanket to keep him calm in crowded places.

"Name?" The host asks of them.

"Campbell" Sydney offers as she tucks her arm into Bucky's, he smiles softly at her.

"For two?" The host asks, she nods. "This way" He offers holding out his hand for them to follow. 

"Go with him" Sydney tells Bucky who snaps his head around to her.

"What?" he asks suddenly feeling panicked.

"I'll be right back" she assures him. "Little girl's room" she whispers and then walks away, Bucky takes a breath and follows the host towards their table. He's trying so hard to hide his nerves. This place is packed with people, strangers, and it makes his skin itch. But he's here because he is attempting to be a normal human being...with Sydney. With her he can forget, well not forget, more like push back, his past, who he used to be. When he's with her, he's just....James. The host leaves him to the table, nestled at the back, lit by candles and a row of fairy lights on the wall giving it a soft light to it. Bucky shrugs out of his jacket, his long sleeved shirt and glove covering his arm, he's still not comfortable enough to show it to her. It's probably the one thing he'll never be comfortable about, it also means a few things are off the table for them, things in which he will have to be naked for. He sits and takes a breath before letting it out, his eyes scanning over the room, checking exits, just in case. Then his eyes find Sydney as the host takes her coat, she smiles in thanks and then turns to Bucky, letting him have a better look at her outfit.

"Wow" Bucky whispers as he stands from his seat, Sydney weaves her way towards him, her deep red dress swirling with her as she moves. She smiles warmly at him, his heart all a flutter in his chest. She looks beautiful. Why didn't he make more of an effort? Right, cause he has no money to buy a decent shirt or suit or...anything really. He's lucky she assures him she'd pay tonight, as if that didn't make him feel back. Not being able to take his date out somewhere special. "You look..." he starts as she reaches him, her hands touching her dress slightly nervous. This is her first date in a long time so she's nervous as hell. "Amazing" he finishes softly.

"So do you" she assures him, he really does, he's showered, he's brushed his hair and pulled it back into a bun. Honestly, Alina and her girlfriend helped him. Leant him the shirt, the trousers, the shoes. Everything is so far out of his comfort zone. He takes a breath and holds out the chair for Sydney. She touches his arm softly before taking it, letting him be the gentleman he wants to be. When she's settled, he moves around the table to sit across from her.

.............

Bucky and Sydney approach her apartment, holding hands, it's so normal, so human and Bucky loves it. He loves the simplicity of being around her, there is no pressure, no forced conversations. Just them and the Bucharest night sky. It's almost like it's a scene from one of those old black and white foreign romantic movies that Steve used to watch back in the '40s. And now Bucky's living it. All the times he teases Steve and he's just as bad now. Sydney pulls her keys from her pocket and takes a breath. The night is over. And neither of them want it to be. Bucky turns to her.

"Thanks for tonight" He tells her, she cocks her head a little to blink at him.

"You asked me out, remember?" she teases, he smiles and nods.

"I know but you...choose the place and paid so...I feel like you asked me out" he admits.

"Does it bother you that I paid?" she asks him, he shakes his head.

"No," he assures her. "Of course not, if I had to pay we would have ended up at that bargain bakery" she laughs a little, he smiles and reaches up to brush her hair back from her face. "And that food was amazing" she nods.

"It really was" she agrees. "I love that place" she stares up at him. Expectant. He knows what usually comes at the end of a date, but he's much more nervous about this than the date itself. And it's not that he doesn't want to, he wants to kiss her, he really wants to kiss her. He wants to be normal with her. And normal includes kissing and...making love. He just wants to have something. But he can't when he keeps the truth from her, whilst he keeps his past from her. He wants to be honest but he knows it will drive her away from him.

"I really want to kiss you" he admits, she smiles a little. "But...Syd" he whispers sadly. "There are things you don't know..." She leans up and presses her lips to his. Bucky closes his eyes and kisses her back.

"Don't worry about it" she assures him as she pulls back. "I know all I need to know" she adds. He searches her eyes and then nods. She means that. She takes him as he is, right here, in front of him. He smiles softly and nods again. More sure now. He reaches up and cups her cheek before he kisses her this time. Lips warm against hers. And it's something else. The first one soft and fleeting but this one he pushes his emotions into. Shows her just how much she means to him. He crowds her a little, pressing her back against her door, her fingers clutching to his jacket. Neither is willing to stop, because it's been so long for both of them, and it's so good. Meaningful and new. "Don't want you to think I'm...that kind of girl" she whispers against his lips as she pushes him back a little, he smirks and shrugs knowing what she means. That kiss was going somewhere.

"I know you're not" he assures her as he nudges her nose with his. "And it's okay, I'm not ready for...." he clears his throat. "But I am...glad we had this date...it means a lot to me that I can...do this sort of thing"

"Yeah, I know" she agrees. "It's been a long time since I've done something so...human" he smiles and strokes her cheek.