play pretend | BUCKY BARNES

nine

You may or may not have cried a little when you dropped your parents off at the airport. Your mom told you to stop being so emotional, and that you'd see each other at Christmas, and your dad reminded you to facetime as much as you could.

Your dad managed to get in as many details about his last minute golf trip with Tony that morning on the drive to the airport, and your mom joked about how your dad should have married Tony and not her, since he seemed to like Tony more.

Your dad of course being the cheesy pick up line sorta guy that he is, reminded your mom that he married her for a reason, and that she was the most beautiful woman in the world and he would pick her any day over his millionaire friend.

You walked your parents into the airport as far as you could go, and hugged them goodbye just before they had to leave for security.

You thanked Maria for coming all this way to help you and your family, and she said it was no bother, she told you that you were all lovely people and she was more than lucky to have been able to be with you and your family for this trip.

"See you at Christmas." You shouted as you watched them walk away to catch their flight.

"Love you, Honey!" Your mom yelled back, waving from her wheelchair.

The ride back from the airport was long, you were on your own and couldn't bring yourself to turn on the radio so you sat in silence, making the drive seem longer than it was. You couldn't remember the last time you felt this upset.

You finally pulled into the car park near Steve and Nats and took a deep breathe before walking in.

The door was already unlocked, meaning Bucky was already there.

You stood in the hallway for a second, one last chance to control yourself. Hide the feelings.

Build the wall back up that you had let fall.

"Barnes?" You called, walking through the door to the living area.

You walked in to Bucky lay on the sofa, his legs rested up on one of the grey footstools. His arm was hung casually over the arm of the sofa, and he had a mug of what looked like freshly brewed coffee in his hand, and another one on the coffee table which you assumed was for you.

He wore the leather jacket you had seen oh so many times despite the short time knowing him, and his usually tamed, slicked back hair was messy and small strands framed his face, highlighting his perfect jawline and other facial features.

You noticed a pair of jeans and a belt flung over an armchair in the corner of the room which must have been Buckys as you noticed he was a pair of red sweatpants you had noticed Steve wearing before, apparently guys stole each other's clothes too? Not just girls.

The burgundy sweatpants and leather jacket didn't exactly match, but somehow Bucky made it work.

You could have sworn you saw his face light up as as you walked through the door to the living room, but you convinced yourself it was just a figment of your imagination.

"Y/N!" He greeted, a grin spreading across his face.

The smile you watched spread across his features made your insides tingle, another thought you quickly pushed aside.

It was becoming a trend for you, every time you had a positive thought about Bucky, something just friends wouldn't normally think, you'd push it away, discard of it, never to be thought of again.

Well, until the next time it happened.

"Hey." You returned the smile.

"How are you doing?" Bucky asked.