Lucy walked calmly out of Bucky's sight before allowing the panic to set in. She leaned against the wall and slid down it.
Shit. Shit. Shit. She couldn't believe she had just kissed Bucky when she had a different man's name written on her skin. Lucy buried her head in her hands and tried to breathe away the panic. She did not need to go into another fit of hysterics.
She also did not need to be found here. She pushed herself up on shaky legs and looked around for a bathroom to hide in. After testing two doors, one leading to a bedroom and the second leading to an office. Finally, she found the bathroom.
If she was in a better state of mind, she would have admired the beautiful room, with the white porcelain toilet and antique clawfoot tub that looked like the perfect place for a soak. The black tiles on the floor or the dainty wall design that trailed light vine shadows up and down the walls with differing shades of grey paint. Or the large sink with a beautiful spout hanging above it. Instead, Lucy closed the lid of the toilet and sat down heavily. She put her head in her hands and tried hard to get her mind to stop racing.
The task felt impossible but she didn't have a choice, she needed to appear normal, she didn't want to freak anyone out more than she already had. Lucy did the only thing that had worked in the past, she shoved all her emotions down into a tight little ball which could be dealt with later with another overwhelming crying jag. But for now, they were out of sight and out of mind. She could do this.
Lucy splashed her face with water from the sink, wiped it clean and made her way into the hall, and ran smack dab into Katarina.
"Oh my god!! I'm so sorry Katarina." Lucy said as she tried to keep her own footing while making sure Katarina didn't lose hers.
"You're fine dear, no harm done," Katarina replied much more steady on her feet then Lucy was, even with her age. "You alright dear? You flew out of that bathroom rather fast."
Lucy shook her head to clear it from the shock of running into someone. "Yea, I'm fine, just...." Lucy's voice trailed off as she looked for some sort of excuse. "Was looking for you so I could ask if I could take a bath." Lucy finished lamely
But Katarina's face lit up. "Of course you can, in fact, I think that's exactly what you need right now. A good soak fixes all problems, and that tub behind you is one of my favorites for one. I had my husband bring it all the way from Russia for me." Katarina's face became wistful as she reminisced over the happy memory.
Lucy shuffled her feet feeling uncomfortable. She hadn't intended to take a bath, but she also didn't want to spill her guts to Katarina about how she was feeling. This was a girlfriend talk, not a practical stranger conversation.
"Let me just grab you a towel and show you where the best bubble bath is and some Epsom salts," Katarina said as she started bustling away from her.
Lucy sighed and turned around then squeaked at the unexpected sight of Bucky standing barely two feet behind her.
"Bucky!?" She whisper-shouted. "Don't sneak up on me like that."
Bucky put his hands up in a don't shoot me position. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, I just heard you and Katarina talking about you taking a bath and was curious."
"What is so interesting about a bath?" Lucy asked, sounding perplexed.
Bucky shrugged looking uncomfortable. "When it was mentioned, I had a memory of my mom being very fond of them and.... It piqued my interest."
If Bucky wasn't.... well Bucky, Lucy could picture him blushing like a little kid and scraping his foot against the ground.
"Well they aren't really that special, but they are nice, it's a way to let all your troubles soak away," Lucy said, trying her best to explain them. "Have you never had one?"
They were interrupted before Bucky could respond by Katarina returning.
"Here you are, my dear," Katarina said handing over a fluffy white towel, lavender bath bomb, a fancy shampoo, a matching conditioner, and a set of matches. "For the candles."
Lucy gratefully took the items and the distraction they provided so she could walk into the bathroom and close and lock the door behind her, shutting out Bucky's overly observant stare and Katerina's overpowering warmth.
It was too much for one night, too many people, too much noise, too much emotion. They were safe and somewhat stable for now. She could shut down for a little bit and collect herself.
She placed the items on the bathroom counter and turned to the clawfoot tub. The candles were sitting on a mint green painted end table beside the tub that she hadn't noticed before due to her distracted state of being. She considered whether or not she should light them and then wondered why the hell not. If she was going to do this, she was going to do it all the way.
With her mind made up, she started lighting the candles, figured out how to fill the tub. She dropped the bath bomb in the water and stripped out of her clothing. She folded them neatly and set them on the sink counter, the bathroom was too pretty to leave them lying on the floor, and she was a guest.
Lucy waited for the bath to fill before turning off the overhead lights and the water. Then oh so slowly dipping one leg then the other into the steaming, and bubble-filled water. She was surprised by the bubbles that had frothed up from the bath bomb but it must have been something in it to not only cause the lavender smell but also the bubbles.
Easing herself down into the water felt like bliss with the dancing light of the candles filling the otherwise dark room. She allowed herself to sink into the luxurious feeling of being wrapped in warmth, relished in her muscles releasing all the tension that had been building up over the last few days of running for her life.
Lucy allowed herself to close her eyes and enjoy a small moment of bliss.
Lucy's bliss lasted all of 15 minutes before the sound of the lock jiggling jerked her up and half out of the water ready to fight for her life. The door opened quickly and Bucky slid in before closing and locking the door behind him.
Lucy quickly sunk back in the water to hide her nakedness from him. This whole interruption in bathing thing was starting to become a pattern with Bucky.
"What the hell Bucky! I'm bat-" A hand covered Lucy's mouth before she could finish.
She gave Bucky a death glare, but the man was in soldier mode and didn't seem to notice which just irked her even more.
"Quiet." He whispered before slowly letting go and turning his crouched position so he could face the door, gun drawn.
Lucy sank deeper into the water, switching from anger to fear within two heartbeats, she couldn't help the trembling hand that reached out and grabbed the back of Bucky's shirt, fisting it in a tight grip. She could feel the lingering warmth in the fabric and the heat of his skin beneath it.
Bucky leaned back so he was resting against the edge of the tub allowing Lucy to rest her head against his back, trying to calm herself with his steady and unwavering strength. He would protect her from whatever threat was outside that door, she just had to trust him.
Now that she was paying attention she could hear the sounds of voices and movement outside the door that hadn't been there before. Her grip tightened even further on Bucky's shirt. He reached back a hand and grasped the one balled in the shirt, rubbing his thumb against her wrist in a soothing motion.
