I Missed You (Bucky x Reader)

~Chapter 33~

To say that Steve was angry was an understatement. He hadn't directed a single word at you since you confessed that you've known where Bucky was for almost a week and that that's where you went while they were on a mission. You knew that when Steve gave you the silent treatment you were in big trouble. But could you blame him? No. You hid something pretty life-changing from him. So you weren't trying to defend yourself, because you knew he was right. The entire time in the quinjet was filled with awkward silence. You knew Sam was on Steve's side, but he didn't want to get in between the two of you, so he just stayed silent as well. Once you landed in Bucharest, the three of you suited up and got your signature weapons.

~•~

"So, this is where he's been staying?" Steve asks as the two of you enter the small apartment you believed to be Bucky's.

"Yeah." you answer, walking closely behind Steve as your eyes keep scanning the place.

"Did you ever come here?" he asks without facing you.

"No, I didn't get the chance." you say.

"I still can't believe you didn't tell me." Steve sighs.

"I'm sorry, Steve. But I promised him." you say with sorrowful eyes. "You would have done the same thing if you were in my place, and you know it." Steve doesn't say anything after that as the two of you concentrate on analyzing his apartment. You thought he would be here, but the second you stepped foot inside the apartment you knew you were wrong. The tiny apartment was in horrible conditions. The paint was coming off the walls, everything was dirty and dusty, and the entire apartment was overall messy. The first thing your eyes land on is an old mattress on the floor and slowly you start taking everything else in. Steve and you take slow and cautious steps further into the apartment until you reach the messy kitchen. Steve grabs a notebook from the top of the fridge as you look at the dirty plates in the sink.

"Look at this." Steve says, handing you the notebook. You take it from his hands and softly skim through the pages. You didn't know what it was at first but after quickly reading a few sentences from various pages, you understood. He was writing his memories down. You flip another page and you're about to flip to the next one but you stop the second you read your name.

"Seeing y/n today made me remember something new. I remembered the day we went on our first official date and I took her to the Brooklyn bridge. I've been remembering lots of details about that day, especially the image of her laughing at something I said as we had something to eat at a café next to the river. I also remembered how at peace I felt as we walked along the river with our arms intertwined and her head resting on my shoulder. I want to feel like that again, I want to feel like home. But I can't. I know I don't deserve it, and as much as it hurt me, lying to her today is the only way I have left to protect her."

Your breath hitches in your throat as you read the words over and over again. You couldn't believe he lied to you about not remembering your relationship. You were relieved and happy that he remembered, but also hurt about the fact that he doesn't even trust himself enough to let you back in. You were so caught up in your own head that you missed the short conversation Sam and Steve had over the comms. Sam warning the two of you about German Special Forces approaching the apartment. You flip the pages until you reach the end and you come across a few pictures of you and Steve. And that's when you see the picture you slipped into his pocket. You smile softly as you look at it.

"He kept..." you trail off the second you turn around and you see Bucky standing just five feet away from you and Steve. "Bucky..." He looks at you briefly and clenches his jaw before looking at Steve with a poker face.

"Do you know me?" Steve asks him.

"You're Steve. I read about you in a museum." Bucky replies.