Complicated Love (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 1: Introduction

Love. Love has always complicated. I'm not sure if I ever heard a love story that was ever simple, but I don't think anyone can beat my complicated love story. My name is y/n l/n. I'm a lot of different things to different people. I am Agent L/n at the Strategic Scientific Reserve, a top-secret Allied intelligence agency. I am a friend to Peggy Carter, as well as a co-worker. I am a cousin to Steve Rogers, whose family took me in when my parents decided they could not take care of me, so he is also basically my brother.  But, what I consider the most important, I am the love of James Buchanan Barnes, or more known as Bucky. 

I met Bucky when he was in 1st grade, and I was still in preschool. Steve, who was currently in kindergarten, came home with a black eye. He was always coming home with some sort of injury, due to the fact that his classmates picked on his side. The guy to his right was young Bucky, with a busted lip. At first, I thought Bucky was the one who beat Steve up, but turns out, the other guy looks much worse. Ever since that day, I thought Bucky was a bad influence on Steve. Bucky was the type of kid that usually picks on kids like Steve, so I did not trust him.

Bucky was obnoxious and annoying, and he thought the same of me. I was very opinionated and sassy, which was very uncommon for women nowadays. We are expected to find a husband and become a housewife. I wanted more for myself, and Bucky thought I was crazy for this. Steve always said we fought like a married couple, and we were destined to be together. This made Bucky and I fight more. 

That all changed when I was a senior in high school, and my aunt just died. My uncle died when I was around 5, but my aunt was always there. She was like my mother, and I thought she would always be there. I didn't get the news until I arrived home from school. I saw Bucky sitting on the couch, and once I open the door, he stands right up, looking very upset. "Hi?" I say, knowing he usually isn't here without Steve, but there was no sight of him. "Is everything alright?"

I set my books down on the dining room table, not seeing anyone else here. Bucky walks over next to me, and he is hesitating on what he is trying to say. "What's going on? Where's Steve?" I ask.

He takes a deep breath and his eyes keep looking back and forth between mine, as if he was searching for courage. After a moment he says softly, "Steve's at the hospital with your aunt. She, uh, she's not going make it." I have never seen Bucky this serious before. He usually argues and teased me, but now he's caring and soft, searching for any sign of hurt or grief in my eyes.

I could feel the world darkening around me as my eyes started to water, not believing the one role model I had in life was gone. I've done something I have never done before. I embraced Bucky in a hug. He was the only person there in a moment that I needed comfort. I could tell he was hesitant, but he wrapped his arms around me, rubbing my shoulders and whispering that everything would be okay. 

That's when everything changed. Ever since that moment, we looked at each other a different way. Emotionally, and mentally.

The next couple years were a bit bumpy. Bucky ended up moving in so we could afford the apartment we were living in. Once I graduated high school, I got a job at the SSR as a secretary to Agent Dooley, who is now the Chief of the office. I was soon promoted to Agent, mastering martial arts and weaponry use, using my sensuality to seduce my enemies into giving vital information to take down criminal organizations. While working with the SSR, it's a rule that I can't tell anyone that I work there, since it can endanger them. So everyone I know, besides co-workers, believe I work as an assistant to Howard Stark. Now, this is only half a lie, I'm just his co-worker, since he often helps out with the organization.

Bucky's demeanor towards me changed. He started to make me meals when I came home late, buy me books that he thought I would like, write me lists of information that he wanted to tell me when I would be gone away for "business", etc. I could not understand why he was doing this. He was the man of the city, women falling for him every step he took. He's a lady's man, and he was known for that. It can be hard to resist his fluffy brown hair, his icy blue eyes and soft smile. 

One day I just came home from the office, and I was making pasta for dinner, when I heard the door open, and people grunting. I turn my head, finding Steve hunched over with, yet again, another black eye and Bucky with a bloody cut on his face. "Oh my god. What the hell happened to you two?" I ask, making my way over there, getting a closer look at their wounds.

"Stevie over here was arguing with a man twice his size at the diner, because he didn't tip the waitress," Bucky says, nudging Steve slightly. "I leave to go to the bathroom just to find out that Steve got pulled to the alleyway when I left."

"It's not right. And he was treating her terribly. The least he could do was tip," he sighs. I make my way to the freezer, grabbing a bag of frozen peas, so Steve could use it as an ice pack.

As I hand him the bag of peas, I say, "please stop picking fights that you can't win."

"If it's worth fighting for, I'm going to fight," he says, slightly puffing out his chest as if he is some sort of superhero. 

Bucky sarcastically puts a hand over his heart and says, "wow, so humble. Punk."

"Jerk," Steve mumbles under his breath, and I giggle lightly. I grab Bucky's hand, leading him to the bathroom. I shut the door behind us and kneel on the ground to open the cabinet underneath the sink.

"Woah, don't you think I should ask you out on a date," Bucky jokes. I roll my eyes as I grab the first aid kit. "Oh, not as fun as I was hoping but it's something."

"Sorry to disappoint," I say, opening the kit, standing back up. I grab some supplies to clean and disinfect the wound. As I start to clean the blood off his face, and I feel Bucky places his hand on my waist. "What are you doing?" I ask, continuing my work.

"I would hate for you to fall and get a cut like I did. You're too beautiful to get hurt, doll," he says smoothly. A small smile creeps on my face as fireworks erupt in my stomach. 

"How did you even get cut? Usually you come home with no scratches," I ask, remembering all the times Bucky and Steve argue about them getting into fights. A lot more than I could count. 

"He pulled out a pocket knife on me. Cruel guy," he says, making me chuckle. I finish putting a bandage on his face, and faintly run my thumb under the cut on his cheek. 

"Well, good for you. It probably won't scar that face of yours, and it shouldn't take that long to heal," I say, my hand still on his jaw.

"Thank you very much," he says, with his classic smirk on his face. "How could I ever repay you?"

"Do the dishes tonight?" I say, making him chuckle. This is when I realized how close we actually were. His lips were inches away from mine, and I felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. I was scared he was going to notice, so I quickly back away out of his arms. I start to pack up the first aid kit, trying to forget what just happened and hope I did not embarrass myself. 

"How about a date?" he asks. I close the first aid kit, stopping and raised my eyebrow at him through the mirror. "I'm being serious. Y/n, you're not like any dame I have ever met. We have had this banter for years, and you know it. I see the way you look at me, and I know you see the way I look at you."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," I say, putting the first aid kit under the sink. 

"Yes you do, doll," he says, hooking his finger under my chin and forces me to look at him. "You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen, and I knew that since the first day I met you. I want to take care of you."

"I don't know Buck," I say, unable to look away from his sincere eyes. "What about Steve?"

"Steve has been wanting us to get together since I beat up that guy that stood you up. Probably before that too," I giggle, remembering how angry he was, then got me flowers the next day. "All I'm asking for is one date. If you don't enjoy it, I will leave you be."

I ponder for a second, before replying, "let's do it." 

Who knew that that was going to change my life? Bucky and I have been dating and going strong for almost 2 years. He's absolutely everything I could have ever asked for. I love him, and that will never change. No matter what we face.