Nothing Personal - Bucky Barnes x reader

Chapter 7

Contents: ANGST, a lil fluff, cheating

A/N: I'm sorry in advance

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As the weeks went by, you'd slowly grown more and more comfortable living in the expansive compound. Admittedly, you were a little trepidatious in the beginning to live with a bunch of strangers who had more power in their pinky than you had in your entire body, but after much reassurance from Sam and Wanda, you'd allowed yourself to loosen up and go with the flow.

It was nice finally meeting all of the people you've seen in the news for years and years, and it was even nicer having them all take a liking to you almost immediately. Your days were spent talking with Thor about the nine realms or sitting in the lab with Bruce as he worked on whatever task he was immersed in at the moment. At night, you, Sam, Wanda, and sometimes a few others would gather in the large living room and watch movies or binge whatever TV show you all had been hooked on at the time. Every waking hour had something crammed into it, never spending a dull moment in the compound.

It was so busy, in fact, that you barely noticed Bucky's aversion towards spending time with you.

In the first few days of arriving at the compound, Bucky seemed to want to spend time with you. He'd keep track of where you were at all times, either following behind you or checking up on you over text every five minutes. He helped you rearrange your room like he promised that he would, though it took a while due his incessant need to touch you, to kiss you, to be as close to you as possible. It was nice, though, finally getting the attention you'd been wanting all that time. Not to mention, the sex was amazing.

Those days, you'd fall asleep wrapped in his arms and wake up with his head resting on your chest. You'd share sweet kisses and genuine smiles and hugs that lasted a second too long (but you weren't complaining), completely engrossed in each other.

But those displays of affection began to grow scarce, dwindling down to a swift peck on the cheek or a squeeze on the shoulder before disappearing altogether. At first, it made remorse pool in your stomach, that feeling only growing when you'd go to bed at night and Bucky would never come and join you. You woke up to an empty bed and a tear-stained pillowcase, the scent of his cologne still embedded in the fibers of the sheets from the nights before.

You pushed the upset down, convincing yourself that he was just adjusting, and instead decided to finally spend time with the numerous other people that populated the compound that actually wanted to spend time with you. Luckily, the distraction worked. Maybe it worked a little too well.

You had bid Wanda goodnight over text a few minutes ago, settling into bed with one of your worn paperbacks and still-damp hair from your shower. With the overhead light off and your bedside lamp clicked on, you slid underneath the covers and the book to the dog-eared page that marked the place you left off.

You were only halfway down the page when there was a knock at your door. You let out a groan and placed the open book face down on the bed before pulling the covers off of your body and walking over to the door. "Wanda, I'm pretty sure I don't have your mascara," you spoke as you pulled the door open, one hand rubbing at your eyes. You froze, however, when you saw Bucky standing the hallway outside your half-opened door. "Bucky?"

He was dressed in a black long-sleeved shirt and a pair of grey cotton sweatpants, his hair a mess of wild curls and his beard grown out a few days past what could be considered a five-o-clock shadow. The smile he gave you was tight and awkward, almost embarrassed. "I, uh, I need a charger. My phone just died," he explained, staring at the door that obscured half of your body rather than at you.

You nodded, gnawing at your lower lip and reluctantly pulling the door open fully. "Come in, I'll look for one." You stepped away, allowing him to trail behind you. You rifled through the top drawer of your dresser, filled with panties and other random items that you couldn't find another place for. Bucky's stare was heavy on your back as you searched, making you squirm slightly and tighten your jaw.