Venus | James B. Barnes✔️

xi. 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚢𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚢

BUCKY held his fiancée close that night. The pair swayed to the music in the bar until Evelyn grew tired of the men staring at her. Saluting to the Howling Commandos, she kept her hand wrapped firmly around Bucky's as she dragged him outside. It was quite chilly, but Evelyn could not find a complain as her heels clicked while she dramatically spun around as if to begin dancing again.

Bucky laughed, the smile on his face wider than ever as he made sure to catch her when she slipped on the ice patch. "Lyn?" he asked softly as they began to walk through the empty street of London back toward the SSR headquarters and lab—where there were resting places for the workers. Evelyn was allowing Bucky to stay with her, neither wanting to be separated for any longer. "I love you," he began slowly when she turned to gaze at him; her eyes were sparkling in the moonlight as she looked at him with a twinkle in her eye she only got when she was happy.

"There sounds like a 'but' statement coming. James," she warned, pausing on a small bridge that went over a pond. "Don't start with the lectures, please. I love you, but I'll lose it if you tell me to stay out of it."

Bucky groaned, running one hand through his hair. "You're impossible, Evelyn Stark," he teased, holding her close. "Do you remember the morning that we found out Germany invaded Poland?"

Evelyn nodded. "You and Steve had slept over. We had a birthday dinner for me that night," she said with a sigh. "God, everyone was there. Howard, Sarah Rogers, my mom, your sister—Rebecca, you, and Steve. It was such a good night."

Bucky grinned, grabbing her cold hand in his own warm one. "You remember that night I had asked you be my girlfriend?"

"I remember you stammering and blubbering until I practically forced the words out," Evelyn countered.

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said, "the point is... that night, I made a promise to your mother to protect you. Whatever it took. I'm terrified to lose you, doll."

Evelyn let her hands move to cup Bucky's face. She let her thumb rub his skin softly. "James Barnes, there is no way I am living a life you are not in. Everything I did to myself and to Steve was to end this war. I'll be damned if I'm not out there helping—especially if you're going to be out there," she whispered.

He turned his head to kiss her palm.

"I already thought I lost you once. I'm not going through that again."

Evelyn gently moved her head to his, letting their lips collide in the most sensual manner. His lips took their time, remembering the taste and getting familiar once more. Evelyn let her hands slowly, tortuously move to the back of Bucky's head to grip the hair that was growing out ever so slightly. Bucky's large hands went to her waist, squeezing and tugging her closer. Both never wanted the moment of peace to end. Both just wanted to be done with the fighting.

Leaving Evelyn on the brick wall of the bridge, Bucky moved his lips away from hers to kiss slowly down her jaw and neck. After a final kiss on her collar bone, he lifted his head to stare at her with hooded eyes and swollen lips.

"You won't lose me again, doll," Bucky said before kissing her all over again.

The next morning, Bucky and Evelyn woke wrapped in each other's arms as they did not have to rush for the first time in a long time. Bucky enjoyed watching Evelyn sleep, something he did not think he would ever forget. Tracing the features on her face, he smiled softly when her nose crinkled a bit while she woke from his touch. Lowering his finger, he made a clicking sound with his tongue when he made it to a bruise on her neck. "Howard's gonna kill me."

Evelyn sniggered with her eyes still closed, her head nuzzling into Bucky's bare shoulder. She placed a chaste kiss on his skin before sitting up slightly. Bucky let his hand rest on her bare stomach, a smile on his face when her eyes finally opened to look at him.

"I'm serious."

"You're ridiculous," Evelyn murmured back, reaching over to look at the time. Seeing it nearing eleven, she knew she would have to get to the lab eventually. Sighing, she let her head fall back onto Bucky. "I just want to lay here forever. Can I?"

"Go for it."

Evelyn grinned before a knock was heard on the door. Groaning, Evelyn felt Bucky move the blanket to cover their bodies. "Play dead," Bucky whispered before calling out, "Come in!"

The door opened to reveal Steve looking more than stressed.

"It's just the punk," Bucky informed Evelyn as Steve shut the door. Evelyn turned her head to smile at her best friend. "Hey, grab my shirt." Steve threw Bucky his shirt before realizing he meant it for Evelyn. He turned to face the wall with a flush on his face. Evelyn quickly slipped it on before sitting up and wiggling into shorts as Bucky did the same. "All clear. What's wrong?"

"This girl kissed me," Steve began causing Bucky to grin while Evelyn narrowed her eyes. "Peggy saw. I tried to play it off, but she compared me to those meat-head soldiers—"

"Hey!"

"—so I kind of instigated that she and Howard were fondue-ing because of what he said on the plane to realize that's not what he meant at all. She almost killed me in the lab!"

Evelyn watched Bucky bite back a laugh before letting it spill out without meaning to. Steve could not help the smile on his face that appeared at the sight of Bucky laughing and Evelyn glaring at them—almost as if they were having a sleep over in Brooklyn.

"Okay, ow!" Bucky complained when Evelyn hit his arm. Evelyn stood with a sigh. "Oh, where are you going, doll!?"

Evelyn went into her closet to find a suitable outfit to wear. "I'm going to unmess the mess Steve created. Peggy and my brother? Seriously? Those two would bite each other's head off! It's clear she loves you, Steve. God, men are such idiots!"

Bucky leaned back with a nod. "You're right. All of us are 100% idiots."

Evelyn pointed at him. "Just because you are agreeing with me to please me does not mean anything, pal. Get dressed, anyway. We have things to do."

"What do we have to do?"

"I havs to go talk to Peggy while you and Steve make sure our team is ready—"

"Or we could stay in bed."

"—I have to visit my brother to make sure he doesn't need any help before we go off fighting Hydra bases–"

"Or we could go get a nice breakfast."

"—and I have to make sure with Colonel Phillips that my strategies are the ones we are going with before I even think about preparations! We have a lot to do, Barnes. Get up."

Bucky pouted, knowing he lost the argument as Steve was chuckling nearby. "Aye, aye, Mrs. Barnes."

Evelyn rose a brow before sighing. "You're irritating."

"You love me."

"Mhm."

"Oh, say it back."

"It back."

"You're a pain in my ass, Stark."

"Oh, it's Stark now? Pick a surname, Barnes."

Steve laughed, deciding to intervene because he knew these mock-fights would last forever because neither truly wanted to leave so Evelyn was stalling while Bucky made his point clear. "I'm going to wait outside. Five minutes, Buck."

Bucky groaned before nodding. "Yeah, I'll show you five minutes, punk."

Steve grinned before leaving the room to let the couple change and prepare for the day.