The Winter Highlander || Bucky x Reader

Part 9

Note before reading:

I hope you beautiful souls will enjoy this chapter as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Shout out to @itsannierae who has already guessed in one of the comment sections what is about to go down in the next chapter. Good luck finding that little easter egg. 

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You hadn't slept much that night as your mind kept plaguing you with all the words Bucky had thrown back at you the night before; how he had been overwhelmed by you. By you and your attitude; by your ridiculously bright clothes and unapologetic smile. How he had said that you reminded him of Lily. That was the one thing that had really hurt, because she was someone you would never be able to truly replace. Even though he had said that the two of you weren't that much alike, you felt scared to be in the place she had once been. Because how would you ever be able to live up to the person that had had the power to make the grumpy and stern Bucky Barnes fall in love with her?

You felt furious with the fact that you couldn't simply expel him from your thoughts like throwing out some unwanted bug. Bucky had lodged himself so irrevocably deep in your thoughts; with his bright blue eyes, his annoyingly attractive physique and improper comments that had you wishing for even more filthy things to spill from his lips.

You were determined not to go through with this. Because not only did Bucky not know that you had thrown away the very dream he had seen die right in front of his eyes years ago; you were afraid of hurting him in the same way you had hurt Oliver. So, your decision to stay away from Bucky Barnes was of the utmost importance, which- truthfully- shouldn't be hard as he had been avoiding you for days already. It would be best for the both of you.

The next day was quite busy with the ladies of the Tales & Tarts Book Club & Literary Society showing up quite early, already bickering as they came through your door. All the while you kept busy with many customers calling but you kept stumbling along with your terrible hangover from too much whisky, and a swollen ankle from having barged up the hill like a maniac only the night before. The Christmas rush was setting in and you felt glad you would be closed tomorrow to prepare for Christmas.

At noon things truly escalated when you dropped an entire jug of hot milk, burnt a batch of cupcakes and had a line going so far out the front door that you were ready to send all of them out so you could finally crash on the couch and bawl your eyes out. You hadn't even put up the Christmas decorations yet, even though Christmas was right around the corner. Despite the chaos that reigned in the café, you were very much able to hear the ladies shouting from next to the fireplace as you hurriedly washed a dirty coffee cup so you were able to prepare the next order.

"The only reason Heathcliff kept pursuing Catherine is because he hadn't shagged her yet in the first place. He would have lost interest soon after that," Aileen pointed out loudly while you handed an order of coffee and scones to your latest customer. You didn't even see who was next as you took this brief interval of time to try and rub some of the spilled milk out of your apron. Unsurprisingly, you were only making it worse.

"Hey Hollywood. I uh- I was wondering if I could order another batch of those cookies you made as my aunt loved them and now my entire family wants to try them and you know- it's almost Christmas so it would be cracker if you would be able to make some," Bucky blurted out in a nervous rant, clearly having rehearsed this moment and failing spectacularly to execute it as he had planned. The sight of you sighing deeply, your cheeks flushed and your wild hair made him nervous.

Your fingers froze at the sound of Bucky's voice as you looked up, finding his somewhat nervous eyes staring back in yours. He had clearly decided that staying away was not anywhere on his agenda after finding you at this door the night before. You had looked so gloriously beautiful; covered in snowflakes as you had shouted angrily at him; your eyes all kinds of hot and bothered. It had been hard to put that imagine of you out of his mind ever since.