Save Us First (Bucky)

8

"Ivy!"
Bucky burst into her room and she almost dropped her phone.
"Ivy, come, fast!"
"Jesus Christ, what's wrong?", she asked confused, put down her phone and jumped out of bed.
"It's Loki!"
Her expression changed from confusion to worrying.
"What? What about him?"
"Come!", he shouted, while already walking away and she groaned, before she ran after him.
And then she saw Loki, standing in the living room, talking to Thor, who looked incredibly relieved, and Steve.
She slowed down and stopped.

"Loki?", she said surprised and he turned around to her.
"Happy Birthday", he said slowly.
She stared at him for a second, then they basically ran up to each other and she fell into his arms.
"I'm so glad you're okay", she murmured and he nodded.
"I'm okay."
"Good."
She let go off him and then smacked him across the face.
"Wow! Ivy, calm down", Steve said, but he looked like he didn't actually mind her slapping him.

"How dare you?! How dare you just run away like that? I was worried sick about you! I thought something happened to you! I missed you! You're my best friend and you just took off!", she shouted, a tear running over her face as she turned away.
Bucky put an arm around her, carefully comforting her.
"It's alright", he just said and Loki took a deep breath, waiting until she turned around to him again.
"I'm so sorry, Ivy."
"No you're not."
"Yes I am."
"No you're not!"
"Oh yes I am!"
"No."
"Yes!"
She bit her lip and then looked him in the eyes.
"Pinky promise?"
He smiled.
"Blood oath."
She stared at him for a second, then she nodded.

"Alright. Apology accepted. But I want an explanation! A full one. ASAP! Or I'll fucking slit your throat while you're asleep."
He grinned a 'that's my girl' grin.
"Of course."
She sighed and shook her head.
"Mischievous scamp."
"Yep."
"Damn it, Loki! You're an asshole."
"Always been, always will be, darling", Loki said, pulled her into a hug again and smiled.

Bucky swallowed and took a deep breath.
Steve furrowed his brows.
He was jealous. He was so obviously jealous.
Loki calling her darling made him wanna kiss her even more.

"I brought you a birthday present though", Loki said.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yup."
He opened his hand and a dagger appeared on it.
Deep black steel, with dark green engravings and an emerald on the handle.
"It's beautiful", Ivy said softly and smiled.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome. Please don't try it out on me though."
"I won't."
She sighed, then she punched his arm.
"Shithead. I left you like 20 messages!"
He smiled down on her.
"I know. I've heard them all. I missed you too."
He leaned a little closer to her.
"And judging by the way Barnes is looking at us, I don't think you've messed it up. He's just waiting for you."
"Shut up", she just said, blushing, turned around and walked back to her room.

Bucky followed her.
"Hey. You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Good. I...when you're done with Loki, can we talk? I wanna give you your present", he said.
"Buck, you don't have to.."
"No I know, but I wanted to. We're...friends. Friends get each other a birthday gift."
She had to smile and then gave him a hug.
"Thank you."
He smiled back.
"Of course."

-
"So...shithead. Tell me what's been going on. Where were you? Why?", Ivy said.
Loki sat on the floor of her room, leaning against the wall and sighed, tugging at his black nail polish.
"Okay, well...after our fight I...I needed some time to think. I at first planned to stay away for only a few days, but..."
He buried his face in his hands and sighed again.
"Then you told me about your date with Barnes. And suddenly I was...afraid. And I thought, that if you two get together...you might not wanna be my friend anymore. I thought you probably wouldn't need me anymore, 'cause...you'd have him then. And then I kinda snapped and hid away for a while."

Ivy exhaled and shook her head.
"You...that's not a reason to just run away, Loki! People don't do that! People talk!"
"Well I'm not like other people!", he shouted and she swallowed.
"Loki..."
"I'm a god, Ivy! And I'm me! I'm not used to caring for someone, I'm not used to having friends or things like that.
I don't know how this stuff works, I just...I figure it out as I go.
And I'm...sorry that I hurt you.
I- I didn't know better."
The last part he said really quiet, without looking at her.
He looked so sad, she almost started crying.
"Oh, Loki...it's alright."
She sat next to him, wrapped her arms around him and sighed.

"Honey, I know you've been disappointed by everyone, but that's not me, okay? No matter what happens between me and Bucky or whoever, you'll always be my best friend. And I'll try my best to never make you feel left out, okay?"
He forced himself to smile and nodded.
"Yeah. I'm sorry I'm so...dramatic. I'm not the type of person you should befriend I guess."
"Yeah well, I never do what I'm told, so.."
He chuckled and she smiled.

"I can't believe how stupid this whole shit is", she said and sighed.
"I'm sorry Ivy. I...I realized it was stupid, that's why I came back."
"Nah, I mean not just you. I mean the whole Bucky thing too. I was scared and confused, so I rejected him, and now he thinks we're just friends."

She stared down on her hands and leaned against Loki's shoulder.
"I think I'm in love with him, Loke", she said softly, like she was about to cry.
"What if I fucked it up for good, I mean.."
"Oh, don't cry darling!", he said a little confused and put his arm around her.
"It's gonna be okay.
He looks at you like you're the north star in a cloudy night sky.
You still have plenty of time to fix it. I'll help if you if you need it. I'll be your...wingman", he said and made a face.
She had to laugh.
"Thank you."

Then she sniffed, took a deep breath and he let go off her.
"I gotta go talk to Bucky", she said and he nodded.
"Yeeah, do that. We'll talk later okay?"
"Yeah. Of course. Don't do anything stupid."
"I'd never. I'll just do what you would do!"
"Oh no, that's the stupid thing."