Red in my Ledger

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I woke up and saw Tony had moved to the floor.
That was the second night he had slept down there and given me his bed.
I felt kinda bad.
He was still snoring, so I snuck out the room hoping not to wake him.
Instead of going back to my room, I went to see Bucky.
I pushed open his door, and saw the lump on the bed.
I closed the door behind me and quietly got into his bed.
He half opened his eyes as I crawled under his arm.
He closed them again, then pulled me closer to his chest.
I yawned and cuddled up to him, hoping to get a bit more sleep.
But before I had the chance to fall asleep again, there was a knock at the door.
"Hmm?" Bucky groaned loudly.
I listened to the door open.
"I was- oh sorry, didn't realise you had company."
It was Steve.
"It's fine" Bucky sat up. "What do you want?"
"Just wanted to see if you were up for some training before breakfast?" Steve asked.
"Sure, why not?"
"I'll meet you down there?"
"Be there in a minute."
Steve shut the door, and Bucky got out of bed.
I stretched out my arms and legs, taking up the whole space now that he was gone.
"Comfortable?" he laughed.  
"Mhm."
I buried my face in his pillow.
"Are you coming?" he asked when he had got ready. 
I rolled over to face him.
I grinned and reached out my hands.
He rolled his eyes but picked me up anyway.
I was about to wrap my hands around him as he carried me, but then he threw over his shoulder.
"Weiner!" I squealed at him.
I dangled over him, facing his back as he walked out the room.
"Weiner! Put me down!"
"Geez y/n, people are trying to sleep" he laughed.
"Put! Me! Down!"
"I thought you wanted me to carry you?"
"Yeah but not like this!"
"Relax, we're nearly there."
I frowned and let him carry me like that to the training room where Steve was waiting.
"Okay, Weiner, let go now" I said.
He didn't do anything.
"Bucky?"
I looked up and saw Steve trying not to laugh.
"It's not funny!"
Bucky turned so I couldn't see Steve anymore.
I wrapped my arms around Bucky's waist from behind, then kicked my legs up in the air.
I flipped over backwards, pulling Bucky with me.
I landed on my feet as Bucky landed on the floor next to me. 
I grinned proudly.
Bucky sat up, frowning. He held his hand out for me to help him up.
I knew what was coming: I took his hand and he pulled me onto the floor. I sat on his stomach, leaning across his chest, and I pinned him down by the shoulders before he could do anything.
He put his hands up in surrender, and I sat up victorious. He sat up too, and I laughed as I slipped into his lap.
—
Bucky smiled at your laugh. He pushed the hair out of your face and looked deeply into your eyes. They were beautiful. He could stare into them at hours.
Your gaze drifted away from him, over his shoulder.
You smiled apologetically at Steve.
"Sorry, I'm keeping you from training" you frowned as you stood up.
"That's okay" Steve forgave you, as he saw you had been having fun.
You went to sit down on a bench at the side of the room as Bucky and Steve trained together.
You got bored quite quickly.
"You still awake?" Bucky laughed when they had finally finished. 
"Yeah of course" you yawned and sat up on the bench.
"Breakfast?"
"Nah I think I'll skip it today."
"Y/n..."
"It's one meal you idiot."
"Fine. You don't have to eat, but at least come see everyone. They didn't get to see you yesterday."
"So?"
"So... they missed you."
"Doubtful."
"No, we did" Steve added.
"Why?"
Steve simply laughed lightly, thinking you were joking.
He took your hand, Bucky took the other, you walked hand in hand to the kitchen.
Most of the others were in there already.
"Hey y/n!" Natasha grinned. She stood up to give you a hug.
"Hi Nat."
"We missed you yesterday."
"Mhm."
You sat between her and Bucky.
As he sat down, you noticed the awkward looks exchanged between Bucky and Yelena. You hadn't heard any more about what happened other than what Bucky had told you yesterday.
So you turned to Natasha.
"Hey have you spoken to Yelena?" you asked.
"About what?"
"About her date with Bucky."
"Yeah."
"Well what did she tell you?"
"Not much. Said it didn't go that great."
"Did she say why?"
Natasha slowly finished a bite of a sausage.
"No."
"Hm."
Something seemed off, but you didn't care enough to question it.
"So how was your date with Steve?" you asked out of politeness.
You smiled and nodded slowly as you listened to her talk about the date.
She eventually turned to talk to Clint.
You had been sitting sideways in your chair. You leaned backwards until you were lying across Bucky's lap. You sighed dramatically.
"Are you okay?" he laughed.
"Do you know how unbelievably depressing it is to hear about two people that are very happy together, when you yourself are alone?"
"Steve and Natasha?"
"Oh they just had the best time the other night."
"Aw, look at you, sad and alone."
"You're sad and alone too" you frowned.
"I thought you didn't want to date right now?"
"I don't. That doesn't mean I can't wallow in my own self-pity and loneliness."
"Mhm. But you're still refusing to date?"
"Yes for many reasons."
"Many reasons?"
"Yeah well, it's not like I'm gonna be meeting anyone new soon because I have no reason to leave this tower. There is no one in the tower to date... dates are effort, and talking about the childhood I never had... I just- no."
"Okay" Bucky smiled softly.
You lay horizontally across the chairs with your head in Bucky's lap as he gently stroked through your hair with his hand.
You looked up and watched him as he ate his breakfast and engaged in conversations with people around the table.
"Weiner" you whispered. "Weiner!"
He looked down at you. 
"Where's Thor?" you asked.
Bucky briefly looked around the table, then back at you.
"Oh you see, he was so heartbroken that you rejected him, he had to leave."
"Shut up-"
"He was just so devastated that he had to get as far away from here as possible."
"Seriously?"
"Yes. Seriously. He's heartbroken."
You rolled your eyes. 
"No, he was only staying for a couple of days. He went back to Asgard."
"If he was only planning on staying a couple of days, why the hell did he ask me to dinner?"
"Oh maybe he was looking for a reason to stay."
You reached your arm into the air and slapped his cheek.
"Did you just hit me?" he frowned. He looked up across the table. "Tony, your sister just hit me."
You scoffed at Bucky.
"What?" Tony sounded unimpressed.
"Y/n. She just slapped me."
"So?"
"I think you should ground her."
"He can't ground me" you laughed.
"Y/n you're grounded" Tony decided.
"No-" you sat up quickly, but unfortunately hit your head in the process.
"Ow" you frowned, rubbing your forehead.
"Are you okay?" Tony asked.
"I'm not grounded, Tony. You can't do that."
He didn't respond.
You turned in your chair to face Bucky. He chuckled as you pouted grumpily at him.
"It's not funny. My head hurts."
"I'm sorry. Anything I can do for you?"
"No I'm just gonna go back to my room" you stood up and pushed your chair under the table. "Are you coming?" you asked when Bucky stayed put.
He grinned widely at you.
"I'll be there in a minute."
"Okay" you smiled.
Bucky smiled until you left the room. Then he turned back to his plate of breakfast, expressionless as he ate.
"You okay, Buck?" Steve asked.
"Yup" he nodded. He got up, took his plate to the sink, then went to see you.
The others watched him leave the room.
"Aw someone's in love" Clint teased.