Not A Pet - Bucky Barnes X Reader

Part 7 ~ Awkward Family Dinners

I stare across the table to where my father was silently glaring at the man to my left. Apparently he sensed something about Bucky that had his hair standing on its ends. "Apollo, stop staring!" My mother chastises her husband as she skips him on the back of the head.

"Ow! Maria!" He replies as he rubs the spot she had just smacked.

"Well, you are being rude to our guests." She says offering Bucky an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, I'm just wary of anyone who smells like," He pauses his eyes moving from one visitor to the next before they look down at his plate and he sighs heavily.

"Like Hydra?" I ask making his eyes widen slightly and my mother's face Blanche. Marcus was the only one not at the dinner table as he was upstairs trying to convince Raven and Kei to come back home. "Look dad, I remember what happened that night and I can tell you that they aren't like that. Bucky was forced to do stuff just like I was. We didn't have a choice."

"See, now calm your overprotective pack urges and act like a normal father." My mother says cocking an eyebrow at my father.

"Panthers aren't pack animals Maria, we're not dogs." He replies as his hand covers his face.

"Pack? Pride? Doesn't change the fact you're being an ass." She says making me snort in laughter. When my father's eyes land on me I quickly bite my lips and give him an apologetic smile. Before the room has any more of a chance to get more awkward Marcus strides in with his brow furrowed and jaw clenched. I tilt my head at him but as our eyes meet, he narrows them and subtly shakes his head. My eyes fall to the plate in front of me as I know that look. Kei wasn't coming. My heart clenches making me clear my throat as I say, "Please excuse me for a moment."

Pushing away from the table I clench my fists and walk from the room out onto the veranda. I wanted to tell Kei that it wasn't his fault. I wanted to have the relationship we had had when I was a child. I wanted my brother back. If he would just come home I could talk to him and explain to him how it wasn't his fault. It was mine. My throat tightens and I know what is about to come next as my eyes start to sting. No, I wasn't gonna cry. The sadness overwhelms me and I feel my ears turn into my panther ones and I reach up to cover them up.

This was one of the things I hated about being a Werecat. My emotions were always visible. I feel my tail flick in the cold night air and I grit my teeth. "Are you okay?" I hear a female voice ask and I turn to see Natasha walking up to me.

"Yeah," I say as I try to make my ears and tail go away.

"Come on, you can't lie to a natural born liar like me." She replies smiling softly at me. Rolling my lips I tell her about my past and that I was upset because my brother refused to have anything to do with me. When I finished my little tale she smiles softly and says, "Then you should talk to him."

"But he refuses to come back."

"Call him," She pulls out her cell phone and hands it to me.

"I don't know his number."

"That's okay I have it." She replies and I tilt my head at her in confusion. "I did a lot of research to find you for Barnes."

"He really wanted to find me?" I ask slightly in shock.

"He did, you should have seen him; every day, calling asking if there was any new news. He raided Hydra bases all over the place as he looked for you and did a little bit of revenge killing. He must really like you." My face blushes and my tail twitches at her words making me gulp down a breath of air.