Thank you to Harliquinn for beta reading and editing
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Bucky pulled up at home with Skye the following day.
Tucker was sitting outside waiting for her.
Skye let out a breath when she saw him.
"Who is that?" Bucky asked.
"Tucker," Skye said.
"Do you want to talk to him? I can make him leave if you don't," Bucky said.
Skye let out a breath. "I can't avoid him forever, right?"
"No, you can't. But if you're not ready to talk to him yet, that is okay, too," Bucky said.
"It's okay, I'll talk to him," Skye said.
They both got out. Bucky went inside, and Skye went over to Tucker.
"Hi," Skye said.
"Hey," Tucker said.
"You want to come in? Go somewhere quiet to talk?" Skye asked.
"Sure," Tucker said.
Skye led him inside and to her favorite place outside, where they both sat against the building.
"Your secret hideaway?" Tucker asked. He knew that wherever Skye lived she always found a quiet place.
"Not really a secret, there are cameras everywhere. But I'm generally left alone out here if I want to be alone," Skye said.
Tucker nodded.
They were quiet for a few minutes.
"Skye, I knew," Tucker said.
"Knew what?" Skye asked.
"Skye, come on," Tucker said.
"Tuck, you come on. Tell me what you think you knew," Skye said.
"That you have a crush on me," Tucker said.
"You really knew?" Skye asked.
"Yeah, I didn't know it was a secret," Tucker asked.
"I thought it might ruin the friendship," Skye said.
"Skye, I figured you knew I like you, too. You have always been good at reading people," Tucker said.
"Except for you," Skye said.
"Really?" Tucker asked.
Skye nodded. "I'm sure the fact that I have feelings interferes with that ability."
Tucker nodded.
"You really have feelings for me, too?" Skye asked.
"Yes, Skye, for a long time," Tucker said.
"How long?" Skye asked.
"Since that night at the pool," Tucker said.
Skye looked up at him. "Three years ago?"
Tucker nodded.
"Well, I guess our feelings for each other started the same night," Skye said.
"I admit I didn't realize it was that long for you, too," Tucker said.
"You asked why I didn't tell you, but you didn't tell me either," Skye said.
"I honestly thought you knew. I just figured, with the fact that we both had our own stuff going on, it was better to just be friends," Tucker said.
"Yeah, you're right," Skye said.
"You still want to just be friends?" Tucker asked.
"I'm not allowed to date," Skye said.
Tucker nodded, "until?"
"Sixteen," Skye said.
"Well, I have no issues staying just friends," Tucker said with a smile.
Skye smiled and nodded.
"You have a run-in with my cousin today?" Tucker asked.
"No," Skye said. "Should I have?"
"No, but I don't trust her," Tucker said.
"She probably thinks she has put a rift between us, so she has no reason to fuck with me anymore," Skye said.
"I'm really sorry you got caught in the middle of my family stuff," Tucker said.
"It's fine," Skye said. "Not like you've never been in the middle of my shit."
Tucker shrugged.
"But I'm telling you I can handle your cousin, so please just stay out of it," Skye said. "If you choose to be in contact with her and your aunt and uncle that's your business, but do not bring me up."
Tucker nodded. "Okay. I promise."
Skye nodded.
"So, do I get a preview of your powers?" Tucker asked.
Skye chuckled, "No."
"How come?" Tucker asked.
"I'm not allowed to use them outside of training or when necessary," Skye said. "And, as I said, there are cameras everywhere."
"Got it," Tucker said.
Skye got a text. It was from Pepper telling her that she and her friend could come inside and have a muffin. She chuckled and showed him the text.
Tucker smiled. They both stood up and went inside to the kitchen and found the muffins on the counter.
Skye got them both a drink, and they sat down at the table.
"Pretty quiet for the amount of people you say live here," Tucker said.
"Most everyone is away on business. There are only four people including me around right now," Skye said.
"Oh, that would explain it," Tucker said.
"It is pretty quiet with most everyone gone," Skye said.
"You never have done well with quiet," Tucker said.
Skye shook her head. "No, I still don't."
"I never figured out why, though," Tucker said.
Skye shrugged. "I just don't."
Tucker nodded. He didn't entirely believe her, but he wasn't going to push.
They finished their snack, and Tucker looked at his watch. "I need to head out. Got work."
"You've got a job? That's great. Doing what?" Skye asked.
"Lifeguard at the local community center pool," he said getting up.
Skye smiled and got up as well. They both headed to the door and downstairs in the elevator.
"Think there are cameras in here?" Tucker asked.
"Probably," Skye said. "Why?"
"Just curious," Tucker said with a smirk.
"Mhm," Skye said, not believing him.
The elevator opened on the main floor, and they stepped out. Skye and he hugged before he headed out the door of the building.
Skye got back on the elevator and headed upstairs. When she got up there she went to her bedroom and started on her homework, but she was having a hard time focusing because it was too quiet. Soon after there was a knock on her bedroom door before it opened.
Bucky went in and looked around. "Your friend left?"
"He had to go to work," Skye said.
Bucky nodded.
"You thought we were in here alone with the door closed?" Skye asked with a smirk.
"You doing homework?" Bucky asked, ignoring her question.
"I am trying," Skye said.
"Good, I'll let you do that," Bucky said before he left the room, closing her door behind him.
Skye put on some music to try and help her focus, but it was no use. She was getting in her head with everything going on.
She closed her math book hard before she got up and changed into workout clothes. She went outside to go for a run. She had let Pepper, who was in the kitchen, know where she was going before she left. She put on her headphones and started to run. She ended up running until she was in a bad area of town, an area she had always avoided unless she was looking for trouble. She had actually been told not to come to this area alone by her dad, but at the moment she didn't care. She kept running until her path was blocked by two creepy-looking men. She started to turn around to go the other way but she was grabbed by the older of the two men.
"Well, what do we have here?" the older man said.
"A little girl somewhere she doesn't belong," the younger man said with a smirk.
Skye took a breath. "Let me go, now."
The two men laughed. "Or what?"
"Just let me go," Skye was tired and didn't want to deal with this.
Skye used her strength to pull away from him. "Leave me alone!"
Pepper had been able to tell the girl was not okay when she had said she was going for a run. She had let Bucky know, and Bucky had decided to follow her to make sure she was okay.
He saw the guys block her way and grab her. He got to her just as she pulled away. He got between the two men and Skye and fixed them with a glare.
The two men quickly left, and once they were gone Bucky turned to Skye. "Are you hurt?"
Skye shook her head.
"Let's go home," Bucky said.
Skye went with him, and they walked home in silence.
When they got home Bucky looked at Skye. "You're sure you're not hurt?"
Skye looked at her arm where she had been grabbed. "Doesn't even look like there will be a bruise, it doesn't hurt. Promise."
Bucky nodded.
Pepper heard them come on and called them for dinner.
"Let's eat. We will talk after," Bucky said.
Skye nodded and went with him into the dining room, where they sat with Pepper and Morgan.
They all ate. When they were done Skye helped Pepper clean up the mess of dinner before she went to her room.
Shortly after there was a knock on her door.
"Yes," Skye said softly from her spot on her window seat where she was hugging her knees.
Bucky went into her room and closed the door behind him. "Are you supposed to be going to that area?"
Skye shook her head.
"Were you trying to put yourself in a dangerous situation?" Bucky asked sitting next to her.
"I would have been fine. I'm not just some helpless person," Skye said.
"No, you're not. But that doesn't mean you need to put yourself in dangerous situations," Bucky said.
"Going on a run is putting myself in danger now?" Skye asked snarkily.
Bucky raised an eyebrow. "In that area, yes."
"Why did you even follow me?" Skye asked.
"When you told Pepper you were going for a run, she thought maybe you weren't okay," Bucky told her.
Skye nodded and buried her face in her knees.
"Skye, did things with Tucker not go the way you wanted?" Bucky asked.
"No, that went as well as I could have hoped for," she said looking back up at him.
"What's going on then?" He asked.
Skye shrugged.
"I can not help you if you don't tell me what is going on," Bucky said.
"I'm fine, Bucky," Skye said.
"If you are fine, then there is no excuse for going where you know you're not allowed to go," Bucky said.
"Fine, whatever, I'm sorry, I won't do it again, " Skye said.
Bucky nodded. "Okay."
"Anything else?" Skye asked.
"You finished your homework?" Bucky asked.
"Yes," she said. Her left eye twitching.
Bucky let out a breath, "Why are you lying?"
"I'm not," Skye said defensively.
"Yes, you are. Finish your homework," he said as he stood up and left her room.
Skye didn't move from her spot. A lot had changed in her life, including learning to do as she was told. But right now she was very annoyed and, therefore, was not going to do what she was told .
