Never Ending | Marvel Black!OC | [in rewriting]

CHAPTER TEN | PART B • Mixed feelings?

Janet passed 10 long minutes questioning her hair. 10 minutes and they're still damp in that natural afro way, a couple of water droplets falling to her shoulders. She only had time to put her pomade in her hair, infinite questions are still running through her mind. But maybe one answer to them is closer than what she thinks, just at the door actually, just by those 6 knocks that ring out. It's 6 melodious knocks, 6 knocks that Janet recognizes right away: James' ones. Even if she thinks that her solution to this confusing heart problem is avoiding him a little more every day, her heart knows that she also needs him, it became vital for her.

Janet quickly gets up to walk, more like to run, to the door, all smiling, her happiness just arrived. She opens the door and smiles, even more, when seeing James' face, as if it was a surprise. It's hard to determine whose smile is contagious here, both so joyful to finally see each other even if it's been only one day.

"Special delivery for Ms. West!", says James with paper bags in his hands, widely smiling at her.
Janet looks up at the bags he's lifting, smiling even more just like it was tenderness in a bag.

"- How do you know I didn't have dinner yet?

- I passed here around 9 and you weren't there, so I guessed you wouldn't have time to cook anything so here I am, making sure you eat something.

- That's so sweet, you shouldn't have it's late already.

- It's okay, plus we didn't see each other this morning, couldn't wait any longer."

These sweet words go directly to her heart and that warm lovely smile that gets drawn on her face speaks for itself. However, Janet knows she can't let that feeling slip through, it has to stay inside, to stay shut. Looking away right now is the best option for her, James eyes are still gazing at her face. Those slight changes of expression from her sweet one don't leave him indifferent.

"You're okay ?" he asks, still looking at her.

Janet lifts her eyes back to him, she nods and steps away to let him get in.

"Yes, yes. Get in, you're going to get cold"

James gets inside, he puts the bags down on the table nearby while Janet closes the door, avoiding his eyes for a few seconds just to get her mind set again. This behavior is well known for James, at least that's what he thinks it is: the upset Janet, now he has to get to know why.

"Jan', what's wrong..?"

Janet turns her eyes back at him, she frowns.

"- Nothing Bucky, why?

- You're in your head Jan', I know you. Did something happen today? You're okay?"

Bucky looks at Janet with one of his worried and protective look. He just wants to know what caused her precious to be like this. Janet silently looks at him for a few seconds. These few seconds are enough for her to imagine a whole scenario of what would happen if she let her confession out of her mouth, but they're also enough time to imagine the reaction to it, the ending of their so precious story. She finally nods, warmly smiling at Bucky to reassure him.

"Nothing happened don't worry, I just had a long draining day at work that's it. That's why I didn't pass to your house after, I'm sorry."

James returns the same smile to Janet, still looking at her with this same worried look. They talked about how tired she was not later than yesterday and now here she is, barely able to keep her eyes on him.

"- You need to--

-Rest, I know James. Don't worry I'll try to get me 8 hours of sleep from now on."

Janet lightly laughs, keeping eyes on James who is still looking at her the same way. The delighted attitude she's having right now is kind of bothering him.

"Let's get to eat.", says Janet before heading to the kitchen to get the plate. Bucky lets his smile slightly fade, still concerned about her health. There's not much he can do at the moment, only advising her to rest, again and again. Janet comes back with the plates and forks, James keeps his eyes on her for more long seconds, still thinking of the same thing for long, long more seconds before finally sitting down.

"- My mom thought you were sick so she made you your favorite

- Oh that's very, very sweet of her. Why did she think I was sick though?", asks Janet while serving the plates. It's such a pretty picture from the outside, like a perfect couple's life, only the candles are missing.

"- She said that you looked... more fragile than usual, and sort of distant.

- Distant? What do you mean?

- I don't know, I guess it's a mom's thing."

Janet lightly chuckles, James can't help himself smiling at it. The atmosphere is finally coming back to normal.

"You'll thank her for me that's very nice of her. I'll come to see her tomorrow but tell her I'm okay."

Bucky nods while Janet looks at him with a tender smile. A couple of seconds are enough for him to give her back her smile, even in a more tender way. 5 seconds passed already, and the two friends are still gazing into each other's eyes. The look between Janet's dark brown eyes and Bucky's sea-blue ones has the exact same meaning, giving the same love message. Two perfect opposite eye colors, same passion message but two opposite reactions: one is just waiting as the other said, and this other is running away. Scared.

"- You... you still haven't told me about this new job"

James finally looks down after this tense moment, he knows that otherwise, the need to get closer will betray him again. If only he knew that this betrayal could solve it all. Janet stares at him for a couple more seconds, taking the opportunity of James not looking at her to admiringly look at him too. Even if she knows she'd rather get lost in his eyes that she loves so much, her gaze slowly goes down to his smile, to his lips, heart pacing up. The need to get closer is getting to her too, but just like him, she can't let that betrayal happen, so looking away is the best option for her too. Just a few seconds to get her mind set again.

"Yes, yes. I don't think I'm supposed to be loud about it but guess who I'm working with."

Bucky frowns at Janet's grin, she only occasionally let that smile out. What could be the so worthy reason for it?

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