Bucky and Madison stayed outside for close to an hour before he came running inside and down the hallway to his room. Just as quickly as he had dashed in he came running back out only to be stopped by Nat in the living room. "Hey there speedy, where are you in such a rush to get to?"
Stopping and taking a deep breath, Bucky checked the pockets of his jacket before zipping up and slipping a riding glove on his right hand. "I'm taking Madison for a ride on the motorcycle."
After muting the television Nat reminded Bucky to be careful, "I don't know if she's ever ridden a motorcycle before, plus she was still feeling a little woozy this morning after breakfast."
"Alright mom," Bucky said sarcastically, laughing as Nat frowned at him for being a smartass. "I've got a helmet, and a spare riding jacket. I promise I'll take very good care of her, you have my word on it." He turned for the door as he reached back, tying his hair into a ponytail so it would fit better under his helmet.
"Fine, just be back before dinner or you'll have her father to answer to," Natasha sassed back as Bucky stuck his tongue out darting out the door.
Nat laughed turning back to the show she had been watching. She couldn't help but cast a look back at the closed door again. It was regular, everyday things like this that made you appreciate the peace and quiet. So why did it feel like this peace wouldn't last much longer.
Madison looked fearful at the big, black motorcycle that Bucky sat astride motioning for her to join him. "I've never ridden something like this before Bucky. I'm not even sure where to put my feet," she said as she proceeded to slip the helmet over her head.
Bucky's outstretched hand seemed to draw Madison too him. Reaching up he smoothed some hairs back that had pushed forward against the sides of Madison's face in the snug helmet. "You have absolutely nothing to fear. I'll protect you, I swear."
Madison looked into Bucky's eyes when he swore to keep her safe and for once it didn't feel like something someone just said but rather a real declaration. Madison realized she truly trusted Bucky to make sure she was safe.
Bucky tried hard not to stare at Madison as he fiddled with the chin strap to her helmet. He wanted it snug but not too tight. Trying to hide his smirk he realized that by not focusing on her eyes he was now focused on the curve of her neck and how soft her skin was. Getting a hard-on right now would not make riding a motorcycle very comfortable so he quickly tried to think of something else to distract himself.
Finally finishing up he took Madison's hand and steadied her as she swung her leg over the seat of the bike. Reaching down, Bucky gently picked her leg up one at a time and guided her feet to the passenger pegs on either side of the bike.
Bucky slid his helmet in place and tapped the small switch on the side. Madison heard a soft beeping noise in her own helmet before hearing Bucky speaking to her as clear as if he was facing her.
"This will make it easier for you to talk to me if you need me. Just remember, anything you say will be like yelling in my ear, so keep the screaming down to a minimum," Bucky's teasing made Madison laugh.
"Just a few basics and you'll be fine. First," Bucky reached for Madison's hands and wrapped them around his waist. "It's best if you put your hands around me."
Madison loved the softness of Bucky's leather jacket under her finger tips as he showed her where to hold on. "If you get scared, or uncomfortable I'll be able to feel it, so don't be afraid to talk to me." Bucky tapped on his helmet reminding Madison that they could talk.
Her answering giggle made Bucky smile, "Sorry, I didn't want to miss the instructions."
"If you need to move around, or get uncomfortable for some reason, try to do it when I come to a stop or at a light or something if you can. I'll adjust no matter what, but it's easier that way." Madison nodded her head to show she understood.
"We'll go slow at first, but when you feel comfortable we'll go faster, okay?" Madison's timid 'okay' made Bucky smile. He could tell she was already dreading this outing, but he was dead set on making her love riding with him before the day was out.
"Just trust me," Bucky said as he placed his hand over Madison's that were locked in a vice grip against his chest.
The roar of the engine made Madison jump slightly, "Yeah it's a little loud," Bucky said over the Bluetooth, "but it will sound quieter as you get used to it."
Bucky placed his right hand on Madison's thigh, checking if she was ready before reaching back up for the throttle. As the bike slowly moved forward Bucky picked his feet up to put them into place and they were off down the paved drive.
If she were honest Madison would have confessed that her heart was pounding like a drum. She was surprised Bucky couldn't feel it as she pressed herself against him. The area around the compound was peaceful and serene, full of trees and paths darting off into the woods. The private drive helped to prevent anyone from entering the property that wasn't needed or wanted. As the motorcycle approached the guard station, the guard rail raised automatically for them to go under.
Bucky gave a casual wave and nod to the two guards standing duty that saluted him as he drove past.
"What was that all about," Madison asked, indicating the salute by the guards.
"I'm still on record as being a Sargent in the military, so most of the men here actually salute me when they see me or address me as Sargent Barnes rather than by my name. That was Kyle and Reece, two buddies of mine from the VA hospital I go to. I helped them get their jobs, so they tend to do that when they see me." Bucky paused at a stop sign, checking both ways before turning left to head towards town.
The further they rode the faster Bucky went. Madison had to confess that the freedom of flying along the highway was both scary and thrilling at the same time. The riding jacket Bucky had given her to wear was a little big but it was very comfortable. With each curve of the highway she could feel how the bike moved and Bucky's body adjusted with it, his weight shifting slowly one way and then the other just enough to keep them balanced. Occasionally his left foot would raise and lower as he shifted gears allowing them to go faster or slower. It was all like a sort of dance and he knew every step with ease.
"Are you having fun yet," Madison heard in her headset? "This is amazing," she said, laying her hand flat against Bucky stomach. Bucky had to remind himself to focus on the road and not the feeling of Madison pressed against him.
It had been a very long time since he had had any intimate or sexual contact with a woman. Until Madison had entered the picture it hadn't been a problem really. The last woman he had slept with was a traumatizing enough experience that he wasn't ready to rush into that again. The sex was good, great even…the accidentally falling asleep and nearly scaring her to death waking up screaming from a nightmare could have been left out. Needless to say she never called him again after that.
When Sam heard about the incident, instead of the ribbing he expected to get, Bucky got a friend. Sam told him the right woman would change a lot of that experience for the better. To not lose faith or hope. She was out there. How was Bucky to know it would be a woman from another universe that even made him think about wanting to try again?
"Where are we going?" Came Madison's voice over the headset, breaking Bucky from his thoughts.
"How about some ice cream. There's a great place just on the outside of town. It's made completely by hand." They had been riding around about an hour now and Bucky was in no hurry to return to the compound. Spending time with Madison made him physically feel better. He noticed it this morning. His shoulders weren't as tight, his chest felt more relaxed, he wasn't jumping at sounds as much. What was this effect this woman was having on him?
As he pulled into the parking lot of the ice cream parlor he placed his hand once again over Madison's that were on his stomach. "Wait till I tell you and then get off to my left just like you got on okay?"
Madison gave a thumbs up which Bucky felt with his hand as he rolled slowly into a spot. After shutting everything off, he reached down and helped Madison move her left foot off the peg and told her to "watch your step, sometimes your legs will feel a little strange after your first ride."
Standing upright, Madison began to giggle because Bucky was right, her legs were practically vibrating. As Bucky took his helmet off he couldn't help the smile that came across his face. Madison was all thumbs it seemed as she tried in vain to unfasten the chin strap to her helmet. She offered herself up to Bucky like a child waiting for the adult to help her out of the contraption. As he slipped the helmet off Madison's face he admired how beautiful she was, strands of hair all askew across her face. He reached up and pushed it behind her ears loving how the sun made her hair look more red than blond. Taking both helmets in his left hand Bucky reached for Madison's hand with his right as he led them both to the front door of the shop. He let go of Madison only long enough to hold the door open for her and then proceeded to lace his fingers with hers again.
An older couple seated at a booth were the only other customers in the place so they were attended fairly quickly. Madison got a scoop of rocky road along with a scoop of butter pecan while Bucky got two scoops of mint chocolate chip. They settled into the booth in the corner near the window deciding to sit beside one another instead of across.
"Try mine," Madison said as she scooped up a bite of her butter pecan for Bucky to taste. Watching Bucky open his mouth for Madison to serve him the spoonful of ice cream was like watching the most sensual event in slow motion. When he licked his bottom lip, nodding his head that it was good Madison almost forgot that he was saying something to her as well.
"What," she asked, focusing on Bucky's eyes instead of his lips after a long couple of seconds. Bucky loved that he apparently had as much effect on Madison as she had on him so he couldn't help the smile and laugh he gave when she asked him to repeat what he had just said.
"I asked if you wanted to taste mine too," he said, offering her a bite of ice cream. "Sure, of course," she said, leaning forward slightly to have Bucky slide the spoon in her mouth. The tangy flavor of mint with chocolate was always a refreshing flavor to Madison.
Both Bucky and Madison laughed at their reactions to sharing their ice cream with one another. Bucky looked up and noticed the older woman coyly watching them and smiling, whispering to her husband across from her. Blushing at the attention, Bucky went back to stirring his ice cream.
Having finished up her ice cream Madison shivered, "Ice cream is delicious, but it's cold," she said, as she tucked her hands into the sleeves of her jacket. Bucky slipped his arm around her shoulders bringing her close into his side as he finished the last few bites of his own ice cream.
The older couple across the way got up and shuffled around throwing out their trash, the woman going to the counter again as the man slowly trudged to the door. Bucky couldn't help but to wonder what it would be like to one day be like that, or if he would ever be like that. With his version of the super soldier serum being different from Steve's no one really knew how his aging would progress.
Turning his attention back toward Madison, Bucky leaned in and kissed her forehead enjoying having her close. A few minutes passed before the girl from behind the counter brought over two cups of cocoa.
"We didn't order these," Bucky politely said, looking at the two small cups placed in front of him.
"They did," the girl said pointing to the older couple outside. Bucky and Madison turned to the window and watched as the older man from before helped his wife get into the car before making his way to his own seat. The older woman saw Madison and Bucky watching and blew them both a sweet kiss before waving goodbye as her husband pulled from their parking spot and drove off.
Both Madison and Bucky couldn't help but smile and chuckle to themselves at the sweetness of the older couple. The hot chocolate was just the trick Madison needed to warm back up. After finishing she excused herself to the ladies room, carrying their empty cups along to the trash.
Madison was only gone a few minutes, in the meantime Bucky busied himself by wiping his left hand with a napkin. It wasn't dirty, it was just another technique Sam had given him to help him focus. Lost in thought he didn't realize what was going on until he heard Madison's voice telling someone to please move out of her way.
"Come on babe, don't be so frigid," the taller one said as he stepped closer to Madison. "Looks like the ice cream isn't the only thing in here that's cold," the athletic one joked to his friend.
Neither of the two boys heard Bucky as he came up from behind them but both nearly jumped out of their shorts when he informed them, "the lady said to please move."
"We just wanted to get to know'er," the taller one said, turning to Bucky. But it was the athletic one that hurriedly pulled his friend by the shoulder out of the way, apologizing for having caused any problems as he looked down at Bucky's metal fist that was clinched tight.
"Come on doll," Bucky said, offering his hand to Maddie which she quickly took. They both walked towards the door, Madison grabbing their helmets with her free hand as they left.
"Why do guys do that," Madison asked as they walked towards the motorcycle.
Bucky remained quiet as he walked, Madison rushing behind him to keep up.
"Bucky," Madison asked timidly, trying to get his attention. He came to an abrupt halt next to the bike bringing Madison in front of him, capturing her gaze with his before crushing his lips to hers. Madison gasped having been caught off guard by the sudden action but quickly found herself enjoying this side of Bucky.
"I didn't like that back there," Bucky said after breaking the kiss and resting his forehead against Madison's, both panting, slightly out of breath from the hurried make out session.
"I don't like the idea of someone being that close to you like that and I liked it even less thinking you were in trouble," Bucky said, running his fingers through the loose hair that had fallen around Madison's face.
Madison brought her bottom lip between her teeth, biting it gently thinking about what she should say before Bucky reached up and tugged it free with his thumb. "Don't do that," he said in a husky tone, "anyone bites your lip it should be me." Leaning in again, Bucky deepened this kiss, nipping at Madison's lower lip, tasting the hot chocolate that remained.
Madison could feel Bucky's hands slipping lower down to the small of her back, pulling her in snug to the curvature of his body. Reluctantly breaking away, Bucky declared that if they didn't get back soon that it would be nightfall and some people might not be happy.
Bucky didn't take Nat's teasing earlier seriously, but part of him still remembered what it was like to be a gentleman caller on a young lady and so he did kind of want to make a good impression on Steve. He might be his best friend, but he was also the dad of the girl he was very quickly falling for, and that made things more complicated.
Slipping their helmets on, Bucky helped Madison get seated again and settled before wrapping her arms back around his waist and kicking the bike to life. The trip back to the compound didn't seem nearly as long as leaving. The guards must have heard the bike coming down the drive because as soon as Bucky was in view Reece raised the guard rail allowing the bike to sail right past as Bucky gave a subtle wave of acknowledgment to the men.
Parking the bike Madison waited till Bucky's hand settled on her leg before she moved to get off. "I had such a good time today," she said standing beside the bike as Bucky remained seated. "I did too," Bucky smiled, pulling his bottom lip in between his teeth and biting it. Reaching up, Madison gently pulled it free with her thumb before throwing Bucky's words back at him, "anyone bites your lip, it should be me," as she gently kissed him, allowing her hand to slip behind his neck pulling him forward gently.
Finishing the kiss, Bucky found himself sitting on the bike holding both helmets in his lap watching Madison as she walked towards the entrance of the compound. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself, 'did they teach women how to walk that way or does it come naturally' he thought as he watched the gentle sway of Madison's hips.
"Someone call the doctor because James Barnes is coming down with a case of love sickness." Bucky closed his eyes, preparing himself for the endless barrage of teasing about to come his way from none other than Sam Wilson.
"How long have you been standing there," Bucky asked, trying to hold a serious face as he addressed Sam. "Long enough to see you getting your groove back, homie," Sam said punching Bucky lightly in the arm. Bucky rolled the motorcycle back to its normal resting place before further addressing Sam's teasing.
"You know watching us like that might be seen by some as a little creepy," Bucky laughed as he dodged out of the way of Sam's playful jabs.
"Get your butt inside boy, before Papa Smurf starts asking what you been up to with Sassette all day today. Dinners about ready anyway." Sam and Bucky were like two rowdy boys making noise and pushing at one another as they came stumbling into the back door from the garage.
Wanda, Nat, Pepper, Steve and Peter were all busy working in the kitchen to get food ready for a family sit-down dinner. It was a rule in the compound that at least two meals be shared every day with the whole group. That way they could start and finish their days telling one another any important details that occurred and finishing the day off together in a united group. Past occurrences had shed a bright light on the need to remain united especially in difficult times.
Bucky and Sam continued their way down the hall past the kitchen toward their respective bedrooms to wash up before dinner. Bucky met Madison coming back from her room. He reached for her hand to pull her to him. Sam wasn't having it though and just tugged Bucky away, "I swear it's like bunnies in heat in this house. We are gonna have to turn the water hose on you two." This caused Madison to blush and Bucky to punch Sam in the gut before laughing and running down the hall. Sam gave chase, not standing a chance at making it before Bucky slammed his bedroom door closed in his face.
Madison was still laughing as she made it to the kitchen. "What can I do to help," she offered, looking for a job to do. Steve came around the kitchen island carrying a stack of plates that he handed Madison before wrapping his arm around her shoulders and leaning down to kiss her forehead. "You're already doing it kid," he said before stepping back to his previous spot. "Oh and you can set the plates out as well," Steve said, smiling at Madison as she blushed before turning to set the table.