pov- imagines

BUG- B. BARNES

pairings: bucky barnes x reader
warnings: spiders
about: there's a spider on your kitchen floor
a/n: purely self indulgent. i am severely arachnophobic and i had an encounter with a spider today that made me think about this skjf

"hi," you greet with a nervous smile, anxiously tugging at your fingers while blue eyes stare at you in uncertainty. "hey," he responds awkwardly, confusion painted clear on his features while he observes your demeanor. you swallow, trying to convince yourself that what you're doing is not as stupid of an idea as you know it is. you're already embarrassed and you haven't even asked yet, but the fear clouds the unease.

"um- i know you just moved in and i really doubt you even know my name, but you smiled at me the other day, which is more than any other of the other tenants have done, and you seem kinder than any of them..." the man is furrowing his brows, listening patiently although visibly getting more bemused at your lack of explanation for knocking at his door and seemingly leading up to asking for a favor without even knowing his name.

realizing you're rambling, and what currently chased you out of your apartment is still in there, probably heading towards your stack of cookies or hiding until you're unable to find it, you pause and cut to the chase with a tense laugh. "...but there's this really, really big spider in my kitchen and i would really appreciate some help in getting rid of it because i'm kind of terrified of them."

he tilts his head gently, somewhat amused and already getting ready to say yes, of course to the pretty neighbor he's been trying to talk to ever since he moved in, but you mistake his pause as hesitation, "i'll gift you with food. i made cookies- which, by the way, the spider is probably getting to right now." you smile hopefully at him, relief flooding the villages of panic that were already building at the thought of the bug in your apartment when he nods, "yeah, okay."

"thank you, thank you, thank you," you repeat gratefully, "uh, just follow me."

he nods, shutting the door to his apartment and following you through your door across the hall. you can feel heat rise to your cheeks when you notice the mess that is your kitchen, flour and sugar spread across your counter and milk spills where you missed the measuring cup. your neighbor doesn't seem to mind, a small smile appearing where you thought a cringe would.

you freeze when you see the thing on the floor, having moved only a few inches and grit your teeth, holding back a shudder, "oh god, there it is."

you step back when it moves, a small startled noise leaving your throat before bumping into the hard chest of your neighbor. you grimace but never take your eyes off of the spider. "ah, it's no problem," he says, stepping from behind you and easily stepping on the star of your nightmares. you sigh when he does, stopping yourself from giving him a hug and thanking him with words instead, "thank you. so much."

he shakes his head, "it's no big deal." he stands awkwardly now, wishing for the 40s charm he can't remember to suddenly resurge. "it really is, you have no idea." a beat of silence passes before you suddenly remember something, eyes shutting and hand coming up to your forehead, "oh, my name is y/n, by the way. usually guys have to at least know that before they're in my apartment," you chuckle, easing up the mood. "bucky barnes, bug killer on demand, it's nice to meet you."

you laugh, hand meeting his extended one. bucky notices when you don't flinch at the surprising cold hardness of it, shaking it happily. "very nice to meet you, too. thank you for saving my life and the money i would've spent on moving if you hadn't killed that." you spot the cookies you baked that afternoon on the counter, grabbing one and offering it to bucky, "i believe i promised food."

"i appreciate it, but i think i would rather have dinner," bucky said, but took the cookie anyway, watching as you nodded too fast, "yeah! i would- i would love that."

let's just say, you never had to kill a bug after that.