Never Safe

Chapter Twelve

On Sunday, you told yourself that maybe he stayed with Nat overnight. You told yourself he was just cooking her breakfast. Maybe he took her out somewhere. They're getting lunch. He's spending the afternoon catching up with Steve. He's having dinner at the compound. He'll be home any minute.

He didn't come home that night either.

You tried staying up for him but fatigue overcame you in the early morning. You only got a couple hours sleep.

When he wasn't there when you woke up, you thought maybe he was going to surprise you after school. He'll pick you up after decathlon practice and you'd go home. You'd get McDonald's on the way, of course. And you'd get home and watch a movie together.

None of that happened.

Peter called you in the evening.

"Pete, he's still not here" you whispered through the phone.

"Okay, it's okay. I'm sure he's fine."

"What if he's not fine? What if something happened?"

"Y/n, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Do you want to come over tonight? I can ask May if we can come and get you?"

"No. No, I need to be here. For when he gets home. I've gotta be here."

"Okay. I can try to convince her to let us come and stay with you."

"No, don't. She won't let you. She'll just ask me to go over there but I can't leave. I can't leave the apartment because I've gotta be here-"

"Okay."

"I've gotta be here. Because- cause maybe he lost his keys and he's looking for them at the compound before he comes home. Or- or maybe Tony gave him lots of paperwork to do and he can't come home until he's finished."

"Yeah, it's probably something like that" Peter assured you. "Bucky's fine."

"He's fine."

"I've gotta go now, but I'll see you tomorrow."

You hesitated.

"Y/n?"

"Bye Pete" you hung up the phone.

You didn't really have any intentions of seeing him the next day. You didn't plan on leaving the apartment until Bucky was home.

***

"Steve?"

"Y/n?"

"Yeah, hi."

"Shouldn't you be at school?"

It was the middle of the day on Tuesday.

"Um. I'm not. At school."

"Why not?"

"Uh..." you ignored his question. "Steve, is Bucky with you?"

Steve paused before answering, so you kept talking.

"Or is he, like, with Nat, maybe? Or did Tony give him lots of paperwork to do? So he can't come home? Does he have to like, write a report on the mission? Or something like that? Is he at the compound?"

You heard Steve sigh on the other end of the line.

"No. Bucky's not back yet."

"He's not?"

"No... but-"

You hung up. You didn't care what he had to say. He'd just try and tell you not to worry. Worst advice ever.