Bound To You (Bucky Barnes X OC)

Just Talking

Jade sat at the table with her arms crossed waiting for Steve to speak. He grabbed a piece of paper from underneath his mission folder and slid it across the table to her.

"Seriously, Steve? Every single day?" Jade groaned.

"Yes, every day. You need to be prepared for anything. You'll have hand to hand with me, Clint, and Nat, weapons with Bucky, and endurance training with Sam."

Jade looks down at the schedule, not making eye contact with Steve.

"I'll do the training for now if it'll make everyone happy, but only until I'm capable of defending myself. My job is to heal people, to save their lives, not hurt them."

"I know that, but sweetheart--" Steve started.

"Don't call me that." Jade suddenly looked up and locked eyes with him.

"I've always called you that." Steve said with a frown.

"That was before." Jade mirrored his frown.

"I've been trying to apologize for that, but you won't talk to me. You won't even look at me, Jade." Steve said, slightly raising his voice.

"What did you expect to happen, Steve! When I told you I didn't feel the same way, you continued to push. You told me to give you a chance even though I only wanted your friendship. And then the things you said to Bucky." Her voice cracked as she thought about how dejected Bucky felt after what Steve said to him.

"I feel like I've completely lost my best friend and I'll never be able to get him back." Tears began to slip down Jade's cheeks as she continued. "I love you as a friend, Steve, but that's all I can give you."

Steve got up and rounded the table, taking the seat Bucky had vacated. He turned her chair to face him and grabbed her hands. Jade tried pulling away, but Steve held her hands tight.

"Please don't push me away. I'm so sorry, Jade. I've had time to think about everything over the last six weeks and I know that what I did was wrong. You don't feel the same way and I understand that now. I see what it's like not having you and Bucky in my life and I hate it. It's so lonely. I do love you and I think a part of me always will, but I want my best friends back."

Jade looked up at Steve to see a small, hopeful smile on his face. She missed him and she wanted him back in her life, but she had to make things clear for him.

"If I forgive you, you have to completely accept and respect my relationship with Bucky."

Steve's smile grew to a grin.

"I swear." He gave her hands a quick squeeze and then pulled her into a hug.

Jade couldn't help but laugh at his childlike excitement. His arms squeezed around her waist as hers wrapped around his neck. He planted a quick kiss on her forehead. Jade pulled back as she heard the door open, her hands still wrapped around Steve's neck. The smile faded from her face as she saw who stood at the door.

"What the hell is going on?" Bucky's voice boomed through the room.

Fuck. Fuck. FUCK!

Jade released her hold on Steve's neck and pushed her chair back from him. He really does have shitty timing. Jade thought as she remembered when Bucky caught Steve caressing her face in the lab.

"This isn't what it looks like, Buck. We were just talking." Steve said calmly.

"Doesn't look like 'just talking' to me. You're alone with him for two minutes and he's already got you wrapped around his finger?" Bucky shouted angrily at Jade.