Bucky Barnes

Part 8

"Barnes, you can't be serious." You scoff, crossing your arms. "Why are you going on a mission with Rogers? Why can't he take someone else?"

"Because we always go together." Bucky answers simply, still beneath his bike. It's taking him an extra few days to get the parts he needed, so he's been spending a lot of time trying to get it back together. He can see your feet from beneath the machine, and he knows by your tone this isn't going to be a peaceful conversation.

"Why do you have too, though? Why can't you just stay here where I ---?"

"Where what?" he sighs when you stop, and slowly pushes out from beneath the motorbike, seeing your chagrined expression from where you lean against a column. "Where you can make sure I don't run into the arms of another woman?"

You roll your eyes, refusing to smile; now that he's relaxed around you, he's actually got a sense of humor and a smart mouth you're not accustomed too. He's spent every night at your place now, and you're not sure if the rest of the tower knows or not, but you really don't care. They're all nosy and snoops, so you figure you couldn't hide the relationship if you tried. 

"I just... I don't like the idea of just you and Rogers going out. Take one of the others with you. I know Hydra hasn't been super active lately, but that's actually a bad sign, it means they're planning something and ---."

"I don't think they're interested in me," Bucky says after a moment, and he reluctantly rises to his feet. You let your eyes trail over the large man, at how gracefully he gets to his feet, despite his size. Your eyes linger on his hands as they wipe black onto a towel, knowing what they can do, for pleasure and pain. 

"They're always interested, Bucky."

"Look, it's just for a day, you won't even notice I'm gone," he assures you, tossing the rag away. He steps over to you, brushing an errant strand of hair out of your face. "You're safe here in the tower, no one is going to dare attack, not while everyone is here. Me and Steve will be back before you know it."

You huff. "I don't care if Rogers flies off a fucking cliff and lands in another iceberg."

Right; you're never going to get over that, are you? Bucky doesn't comment, there's not a point; you're pissed at Rogers and that's not going to change for a while. Still, Bucky has to go, and he has no worries that anything will go wrong while he's away.

"How about I come with you?" You suggest after a moment, looking up.

"Come with me? And Steve?"

"I can make sacrifices."

"There's no need. If you're gone, who's going to watch after Toby?"

"He's a cat, he's resourceful. It's just for a day, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then I can come."

"(Y/N)," Bucky frowns. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"(Y/N)."

"I just --- I have a bad feeling, is all," you fidget, looking down. "I don't think you should go."

"It'll be fine."

"You keep saying that, but I'm not so sure." Your bad feelings always pan out, one way or another. The idea of Bucky going somewhere you can't be around him makes you nervous, and you're not generally a clingy person. You're just worried, and you don't want him going, he's --- well, sort of important to you.

Plus the only one in the whole tower that even knows what's going on with you.

"What kind of mission is it, anyway?" You ask, seeing the distraction in his face. You reach up, cupping his prickly jaw, blue eyes finding yours. You frown up at him, wondering what he has on his mind.