Catch Me If You Can | Winter Soldier x reader |

CHAPTER 27

If we're all being frank here, it was quite obvious that Barnes and you hadn't had a moment for a while now. With the emotional strain that tied a noose around both of you, it seemed like your paths were meant to be in opposite directions. The circumstances forced you both apart. And honestly, distance is not bad. It's not too hard to handle either in regards to relationships. Yet, there was just this vacancy and lack of security present when you both are not close.

Sound pretty fücking cliché, right?

Well, those were the exact thoughts running through the old man's head when he snatched your hand from his ašs and reeled you into him. He hadn't touched you in so long, that in that brief moment of silence, all he could think about was how prettily your fingers fell into the slots between his and tangled in warmth.

Though you were a stubborn ašs motherfücker, and you'd never admit it out loud like your romantic fur-ball, both of you knew the feelings were mutual. A subtle smirk crossed your lips as you came to notice the whereabouts of the man's hues. "What are you thinking?"

Twinkle Toes shook his head, his azure eyes locking with yours. "What was that all about? Inside, I mean."

You heaved a sigh, glancing towards the tent that he was gesturing towards. "I honestly have no clue . . ."

"With the way things were going, I thought he would have said something about—"

"Yeah, yeah . . . I know."

There was a beat. "Well, that's a problem for another time. Forget that. I've thinking about speaking with you for a while—"

"Ugh, I knew it. I knew it! I knew this was going to happen." You said, tearing yourself away from Barnes. "You're breaking up with me, aren't you?"

The male's eyes widened to the side of golf balls. "No, no! That's not what I was going to talk to you about . . . But . . . I mean . . . are we even doing that? Dating?"

"I mean, are we not?"

"I . . . I don't think we've actually taken the time to talk about that . . ."

You hadn't talked about that.

Sweet baby Jesus. After everything you've been through— everything you've talked about with him— you had never taken the time to tell him about your feelings or what you expected out your bond.

Why were you always lagging behind on normal everyday things?

But then a thought crossed you.

From the way things sounded, it seemed like— just slightly— that he never looked at the relationship the way you did. It was as though he did not see the ting you both had as an authentic emotional involvement. Although it was dispiriting, you had no one else to blame. From day one, you seemed to always call out sex and made it seem like you were only searching for a hook up. So if that's merely what the man saw your relationship as, then you really couldn't ask for more, could you?

"I'm . . . sorry that was . . . too abrupt."

"No. No— that's honestly fine. It's just . . ."

"Yeah . . . awkward . . . I know . . ."

"Uh, so, erm. What I was hoping to say before was that I . . . think I need to go back. To Steve." Buchanan gradually softened his tone, his calculative gaze attempting to decipher your expression to see what sort of reaction to come out of the discussion. But when you gave him a gentle nod, the man resumed. "He's . . .  he's my best friend, (Y/n). Steve's stuck with me through high and low waters and I blew him off like he was nothing. I blew him off again. And it doesn't sit right with me, you know? I haven't been able to get him out of my head. I just need to go tell him everything's alright. That everything's good. That I'm happy . . ."