play pretend | BUCKY BARNES

twenty five

You arrived back at Buckys apartment at 4.30am after returning to NYC after your flight from California.

When your parents dropped you off at the airport, you were a slight mess. It reminded your parents of the days where they would try and drop you off at kindergarten and you would cling onto your mothers legs refusing to let go and the teacher had to drag you into the school building.

Although in this case Bucky was the teacher.

"I don't wanna leave her." You told Bucky when your parents had finally thrown the pair of you out the car and driven away.

"I know you don't, doll. And I can't make you leave, but I- I need to go, I would stay if it wasn't for the business but-"

"I, I know. I'm coming. I'm sorry, I don't know why I'm being like this." You said, avoiding looking at him directly because you were crying, you had cried in front of him several times but you still didn't like showing vulnerability.

Bucky wiped a tear from your face with his thumb, holding your face gently with two fingers so you would make eye contact.

"You're just hurting, sweetheart. It's understandable."

You slid your arms around his waist and held him close. You hugged a lot, but this time felt different. You had begun to become dependent on Bucky, mentally and physically.

Bucky was taken aback by your sudden affection, but he threw his arms around your shoulders and held you as tightly to his chest as you possibly could.

And so life returned to normal, well as normal as it could be.  It had been a few weeks since you returned from your trip to LA and Christmas was just around the corner. You had some reports to catch up on, and some clients to call on Tonys behalf since he still hadn't hired a new damn assistant.

Bucky tried to find time in his schedule to come and visit you for lunch in your office, but with the new business he just didn't have time.

Nat: Still up for Christmas shopping when you finish work?

Y/N: Of course, I'll swing by yours when I'm done and we can head to the department store together. Might be later than we planned though, work is kinda crazy at the moment.

Nat; Sure thing, see ya' soon!

You smiled and placed your phone down on the table face down so that it wouldn't distract you any longer. You still had an hour or two left of work and you didn't want anything or anyone to distract you from finishing your work on time.

Your spirits had been lifted the past few days. You finished work for the weekend, Bucky had managed to clear the weakened to have his first day off since your trip to California, and it was the last weekend before Christmas.

You and Nat were going last minute Christmas shopping when you finished work so you could spend the weekend with your boyfriend.

Today you had chosen to ignore the bitter, frosty, New York wintery weather and walk to work, but now the thought of walking home in the dark and snow didn't appeal to you in the slightest.

However your mood shifted when you stepped outside of the New York Times building and breathed in the crisp air. Snow fell on your duffel jacket, you didn't bother to brush it off because you knew you'd only get even more covered on the walk to Natashas. The Christmas lights lit up the streets, each individual store having their own unique window decorations.

Some stores had not only one, but multiple Christmas trees in their windows. You had counted 11 trees in one singular store at one point. As much as you wanted to wait for Natasha, there was one little shop that you were instantly drawn to.