Recipe for Romance: A Bucky Barnes Story

16: My Angel

Bucky's Turn

My eyes pop upon way too early that next morning. I'm shivering with excitement to see her again—to see Sadie. I'm nearly dizzy with the memory of the night before and how she'd been pressed against me walking down the sidewalk at midnight. God, the city lights had looked so much prettier in the reflection of her blue-green eyes. When I'd first seen her with that other guy, I wanted to punch something. Then I got my chance to get rid of him—it was like a fucking dream come true.

Pulling out of the sweaty sheets in the morning I allow myself a brief retrospection of scaring the absolute shit out of that pretentious lawyer character. All it'd taken was a hard clap to the back and a firm glare down, telling him that he wasn't welcome anywhere near Sadie ever again, and he was gone. I may or may not have mentioned something about the girl belonging to someone else... but I would never admit that aloud.

My morning workout drags on forever. I train with Steve and Nat for a long time; two hours, at least. Then we break for showers and small talk by the lockers. Steve rambles for a bit about breaking Sharon's heart the night before. Nat, meanwhile, notices something's different about me.

"So what happened, Barnes? Steve told me you got the chance to play Prince Charming last night."

I roll my eyes with an unamused grunt. I dig around my workout bag for the water bottle I've lost since yesterday. "I helped her out, yeah."

"Oh my god. You're blushing!"

I glare up at Steve. "No I'm fucking not!"

Nat cackles. "Oh my god, you're killing me Barnes." She shakes out her red hair from the braid with a smirk. "Who knew that you'd join the team and find yourself falling in love only a few years after defrost?"

I scoff. Steve, meanwhile, is leaning back against the wall with his hands on his hips and a giddy grin.

"Let's not talk about this," I mutter. I shove my things away.

"I think this is a fun subject," Steve comments.

Nat nods. "Oh I agree."

I'm about to argue some more when Friday's animated voice breaks out over the loud speaker of the gym.

"Miss Sadie wishes to make the announcement that there's breakfast being served in the Common now for anyone who wishes to join."

Nat shoves me by the shoulder. "Go on, Prince Charming. Your princess calls."

"I hate you both," I grunt to which they only smirk. "You know that, right?"

"You only wish you did," Steve snorts. "Now come on, I'm starving."

"And I'm sure you're just dying to see a certain someone..."

"Shut it, Romanoff."

I try real hard to keep my pace slow and deliberate on our journey upstairs. The elevator ride seems exponentially long, but eventually we're there on the Common hearing the sounds of a Saturday morning: cartoons for Peter and Pietro, 80s music per pick by the chef, and the sizzle of a frying pan filled with grease. Voices of all types and tenors float around the air. Steve shoves me to the front of our pack, chortling with Nat about something immature when we walk into the room. I turn back to whack him a bit.

"Good morning!" It's Sadie. She's greeted us with a jovial cheer.

Nat shoves past me. She walks her way into the kitchen to grab a cup of black coffee that Sadie already has prepped for her.