Never Safe

Chapter Seventy-One

You sat on your bed with a book open in your lap as you waited for the meeting to finish. When someone finally came by and knocked on your door, you'd been zoned out staring at the words on the page for a few minutes already. 

"Hey ass face." Despite the nickname, Bucky smiled at you in a comforting way. You managed a half smile back and placed your book on the bedside table before he came to sit down next to you. He hugged you with one arm as you cuddled up to him.

"Is the meeting finished?" you asked.

"Yeah, there was nothing left to talk about. Fury and Hill are going to decide what we do now. We'll meet again tomorrow" Bucky explained. He glanced down at you. "You okay?"

You hummed, too flatly for Bucky to tell what your answer was. It was easy to guess, though.

"You wanna tell me what's up? Or is it just that Fury was being an asshole?"

"Just Fury being an asshole."

"Are you sure? There's nothing else going on?"

"No" you lied. "That's it."

Bucky didn't believe you. "Y/n?" he persisted. "What is it?"

You didn't want to tell Bucky what was wrong because you knew what he would say. You knew he'd just tell you that you were wrong, and you shouldn't be worrying. But maybe he really was right.

"You know, the longer you sit there in silence, the more I think your next words are going to be utter bullshit." 

You sighed quietly and hugged him tighter. He started stroking his hand up and down your back as you lay against him.

"I'm sorry, Bucky."

"See? Bullshit. You're apologising for no reason again."  Bucky lowered his head over yours and planted a kiss in your hair. You looked up at him. "What are you sorry for?"   

"It's my fault you got in trouble today." 

"Oh, come on. You know it's not."  

"Bucky, you got in trouble because you haven't been working and you haven't been working because you've had to look after me. I've been getting in the way."

"You're not getting in the way; you can't think of it like that-"

"I can think of it like that because simply put, if I wasn't here, you wouldn't be getting in trouble."

"No, simply put, I left the flash drive on my desk rather than giving it in when I was supposed to. That would've happened regardless of whether you were here or not. And so Hydra would've gone to the apartment and taken it back whether you were here or not."

"Hm."

"What?"

"So basically, I don't have to be here for you to be an idiot?"

"Oh, you cannot be mature for one conversation, can you?"

"Nope" you grinned.

Bucky smiled back at you. "So we've agreed it's not your fault?"

"Alright. As long as it means you're admitting that you're stupid, I'll agree that it's your fault."

"I'll admit that I was stupid this time. Just this once, because I love you and I want you to feel better."

"You're so kind, asshat. I love you too."

"Of course you do. I'm an amazing brother." 

"Now you're pushing it."