Complicated Love (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 24: Daily Ritual

"Y/n! I made breakfast, if you want some get up now before it gets cold!" Steve yells through our apartment in DC. We originally wanted to get a place in Brooklyn but the rent was so expensive or the places looked terrible. Fury recommended us for this apartment near SHIELD Headquarters and we accepted it.

I groan slightly but yell back, "Alright. Give me a second." I roll out of bed, rubbing my eyes to help me wake up. I walk out in my sweatshirt and shorts and get into the kitchen. Steve was in there, putting some scrambled eggs on a second plate, and handing it to me. "Thank you," I say.

This has been our daily ritual lately. Steve wakes me up before his run, making us breakfast. He then leaves to go on his run while I get ready to go to the gym at SHIELD Headquarters. After the whole attack on New York, it's kind of all I've been doing, along with doing some SHIELD missions.

"How much are you running today?" I ask and I take a bite of my food.

"13 miles, going to try to beat my record," he says, and takes a sip of his water.

"Okay, Mr. Captain America. You say that everyday and everyday you beat it without dripping a sweat," I say, making him laugh.

"There is nothing wrong with setting goals," he says.

"Well, at this rate it's going to take you a minute to run 13 miles in a couple weeks," I say. He eats the last of his food and puts his dirty plate in the sink.

"I'll see you when you get back from the gym," he says as he walks out of the door. I eat the rest of my food and I clean the dirty dishes, putting them back in the correct cabinets.

I get back to my room, getting ready to leave. I put on a pair of leggings and a sports bra, and put a t-shirt over it. I grab my keys, badge and water and lock the apartment door to get to the apartment building's garage. I get the motorcycle and ride that to headquarters.

It wasn't that long of a ride, but it was weird. At a stop light, I look to the side of me seeing a kid looking out the window. She waved at me with the biggest smile on her face. I smiled back, giving her a little wave, and the mother, I assume, noticed. Her eyes widened and practically forced her kid to look away. Right when the light turned green, she sped away.

Those were one of the two reactions I got, and that was the more common one for me. Whenever I'm with Steve, people call us heroes, lifesavers, America's new hope or a bunch more cringy nicknames, but they are mostly for Steve. People think it's much cooler to be able to punch harder than worrying about freezing everything you touch.

I arrived at headquarters and parked my motorcycle in the parking lot. I used my ID badge to let myself through the building and made my way to the gym. I saw a couple of agents that are usually here doing their own thing, but I go to the more secluded area.

I stretched for a second then went to the weights area. I got to the bar rack and put on the weights I wanted to do. If Steve was going to beat his record, maybe I should beat mine.

I got the bar ready for me to do some back squats when I heard a voice behind me say, "Need a spot?" I turn to find the redhead I met two years ago. Her hair was straight and she had black leggings and a black tank top on.

"Sure. Thanks Natasha," I say. Nat, Steve and I have been on a couple missions together for Fury. We obviously met during the attack on New York and she's been very sweet, helping me get used to culture these days.

I get the bar on my shoulders and walk forward to get some room, then I start doing my reps. "So, what's going on, Nat?" I ask.

"Can't a girl just come to the gym?" she says and I would scoff if I wasn't trying to focus.

"Sometimes I think you forget I was a spy too. You don't really come out of your shell unless Fury assigned you something," I say. This is true for her. She doesn't know this but I know Fury assigned her to get closer to me and help me out with stuff.

"Around 25 pirates took some of our techs hostage. Basically save the hostages and don't die doing it," she says, and I chuckle slightly.

"Easier said than done," I say. I finished my rep, and Natasha helped me put the bar back on the rack. "When do we leave?"

"Once we pick up Steve," Nat says. "I'll drive. You'll love my car." She grabs my hand and pulls us to the team lockers. We both grabbed our suits and made our way to Nat's fancy sports car. This is a side of her I didn't expect. She got into the driver's seat while I got in the passengers.

"He's probably just about to finish his run by the Washington Monument," I say, looking at the time. She nods and speeds to that location. It took me by surprise at first, but I got used to it quickly. I just took in the scenery and admired her unique car. "I think that's him," I say, pointing to the tall blond who was taking to another guy.

She pulls up to the curb and I roll down my window. "Hey, fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil," Nat says sarcastically and I snicker.

I see Steve glare at me slightly as he starts to walk to the car. "That's hilarious," he says. He gets in the back of the car and I see the guy he was previously talking to leaning down.

"This your cousin?" he asks and I smile lightly as Steve nods. "How you doing?"

"Hey," I say, not really knowing how to answer earning a little nudge from Nat. "What?" I whisper.

"He's cute, you should ask for his number," she whispers back, making sure he can't hear.

"Maybe in another 70 years," I say, and she rolls her eyes. Steve and Sam finish up their conversation and Nat speds to where we are going to meet up with the rest of the guys.