Hallowed (B. Barnes)

Chapter Twelve

The hunt Sydney was away for takes far less than she thought it would and by the Sunday she is on the road again. Heading back to Bucharest. Heading back to Bucky. Despite her head being elsewhere for the whole trip she managed to get it done without injury, to herself, to others, this one was a win in her book. A simple salt 'n' burn. She's an old pro at them now. She can't wait to get back. That promise of things progressing in her relationship with Bucky driving her forward. She's thought about it a lot, not just this weekend but since they started their relationship. He's a very attractive man and yeah, she wanted to go there. Anyone in their right mind would. But she knew he wasn't ready, she was waiting for him. And he's told her, he's ready, this is happening. She is nervous too, this is the first man in a long time she's been with where feelings are involved. In fact, the last man she felt this way for got her pregnant and then she left her family. She lost everything because of her feelings. But it's not like she has anything to lose this time around. No family. No friends. She has nothing to lose by letting herself love this man that so clearly, at the least, enjoys her company.

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

Bucky sets the bags of shopping down on the counter and nods to himself. Sydney had text him that morning telling him she was on her way home. And that's at least 6 hours on a good day. He had time to come up with a plan. Yes, it's Halloween, but Sydney will be home tonight and he wants to do something to distract himself from all the costumes and masks outside. To distract him from his paranoia. So after he got the text, his mind started rolling on what to do. And he was brave about it. Just like Sydney said. 'The first rule of truly living is to do the things you're most afraid of'. And he is afraid of going outside and being human. Being normal. He went to the store, the market and the clothes store. He's going to cook dinner. He is going to attempt to cook dinner anyway. He even bought a cook book to make sure he gets it right. He takes a breath and looks around Sydney's kitchen. He can do this. The hard part is out of the way, the rest should be easy.

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

Sydney looks around her apartment when she arrives back. She wasn't really expecting anything, at all, maybe Bucky curled up on her couch but not this. There are lit candles around the room. Fairy lights. Bucky is in the kitchen, cooking. And she knows he doesn't cook. Probably why he seems to be so invested in the cookbook on the counter. She smiles watching his lips move as he reads. He's adorable. And such a welcome home gift. It's been so long since she had someone waiting for her. And she likes it.

"James?" she asks, he looks up at her.

"You're back" he states, a little disappointed.

"Yes" she draws out sensing his tone. "Expecting someone else?"

"No" he assures her. "I just...I was hoping to have this finished by the time you got back and...then I could see your face when you saw what I did" She motions behind her.

"I can go out and come back in" she offers, he shakes his head and moves closer to her.

"No, no....." he quickly tells her. "I....I've missed you" he admits reaching her, he leans closer and kisses her softly before pulling back. Sydney reaches up and touches Bucky's hair, pulling her fingers through the locks with a smirk.

"Is there a reason for the flour in your hair?" she asks him.

"I made a pie" he admits. "Like from scratch"

"You made a pie?" she asks him, he nods.

"Yeah, I mean....all this" he looks around. "It was....terrifying"

"Being romantic scared you?" she asks as she sets her bag down by her feet. Bucky snorts a little.

"No" he answers, she smirks at him. "But doing the shopping to be romantic scared me" he admits, she softens as she looks at him. "And I went out and I shopped and....I hated every moment of it"

"James" she whispers.

"But I did it" he stops her. "I got dressed and I walked down the street and I went into the market.....For you" he whispers warmly. "I can do it for you. I wanted to do it for you" he assures her. "Because being scared was nothing compared to how excited I was" he kisses her again, she wraps her arms around his neck and smiles against his lips. "Or how much I care about you" he adds when he pulls back.

"I'm proud of you" she tells him as her fingers touch his cheek, he smiles warmly at her, proud of himself too. "You know you didn't have to do this..."

"I know" he assures her. "I wanted to." she touches his face and smiles at him, touched that he wanted to do this for her.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've had someone waiting for me at home?" she asks him sadly. "Someone happy to see me" he nudges her nose with his and smiles back at her. "Show me what you're making" she asks of him, he nods and threads his fingers with hers before he leads her into her kitchen.