GROW (BUCKY BARNES x OC)

10

Aurora finally made it upstairs and into the shower after her training session with Bucky. After the training session when she realized she had a stupid little crush on her friend. She shook her head angrily, sending drops of water flying as she began to comb out her hair. She braided it. Then re-braided it. A couple hairs stuck out. She undid it and braided it again.

Wait- why did she care so much what her hair looked like? She quickly un-braided her hair and did it one last time messily. There. She didn't care. Not one bit. She got dressed and collapsed onto her bed. Closing her eyes she tried to soak in this moment of peace.

Olivia was at school, and wouldn't get out for a couple more hours. Aurora didn't know why or how it exactly started, but after that first day of taking Olivia to and from school, she and Bucky had formed a habit of always going to drop her off or pick her up together. That meant she would have to see him in a few hours for that sure to be painfully long ride to Maple Elementary. Why her?

Her stomach rumbled and Aurora realized she was hungry. She made herself get off her bad and walk to the kitchen, where she grabbed some fruit and made a sandwich. She sat down at the table and was just about to bite into her sandwich when she was startled by a voice.

"You good?" Wanda asked, entering the room.

Aurora had almost dropped her sandwich with the way she had jumped, but she nodded her head, trying to quiet her heartbeat and stop acting so weird. Wanda grabbed some soup and heat it up, not speaking to Aurora thankfully. Then her soup was done and she sat at the table. Aurora was almost finished with her sandwich, but before she could pretend she was full and find an excuse to leave, Wanda was speaking.

"I can feel your distress." She said casually.

Aurora froze, mid bite. She forced herself to finish chewing and swallow.

"My... distress?" She echoed.

"Yes. I don't know why or over what, but you are... distressed." Wanda said.

"I'm not distressed." Aurora shook her head.

That made Wanda look confused.

"Do you need anything?" She asked, concerned.

"Nope!" She replied quickly, perhaps too quickly.

"Aurora..." Wanda said sympathetically, and she could feel a lecture coming on, so she jumped out of her seat.

Aurora scraped the rest of her sandwich off her plate and put the dish into the dishwasher.

"Well, I gotta go now!"

"I can help you!" Wanda called as Aurora tried to retreat from the room.

She faltered and spoke without turning around.

"Thank you, but I don't need your help because I'm not distressed."

Aurora fled the room, hearing Wanda mumbling to herself "definitely distressed" as she left.

Bucky was sitting along in his room. His mind was drifting, as it often did, but not to the horrors of his past. To Aurora. Aurora and her mesmerizing eyes, and smile and laugh. Aurora and her beautiful daughter. Aurora and- no. No more thinking about her. He felt so guilty even thinking about her.

He had told Steve he didn't like her in any way other than a friend. He had told himself that too, but now he felt the waves of guilt crashing in as he realized that maybe he had lied. How cruel could he be? Getting close with her, with her daughter, just to try and selfishly pursue what, a relationship? That's not why he started spending time with them.