Electric / Steve Rogers x OC x Bucky Barnes ✓

Chapter 44: Nightmares

MADELINE

Bucky guides me out of the gym and into the elevator to the top floor. 

He is practically acting like a mother hen, almost coddling me, despite the fact that I am repeatedly telling him that I feel absolutely fine. 

We get to the top floor and with his hand on the small of my back he guides me to the kitchen. 

"Sit." He commands as he points to a chair by the counter. I comply. 

He goes to the other side of the kitchen island and starts rummaging around. 

"What are you doing?" I ask him as I furrow my eyebrows. 

"Making you dinner." 

I snort, "Do you even know how to cook, Buck?" 

He glares at me, "I know the basics. I'm 100, not dead." 

I chuckle, "Alright, calm down, just making a joke here."

Bucky has a very serious look on his face as he rummages around the kitchen. I glance around the empty room, the sudden feeling of loneliness overwhelming me again as I remember Steve is gone. 

I turn back to Bucky hoping for a distraction. 

"What are you making?" I ask.

"Pasta. Kitchens now-a-days are complicated but pasta is easy." 

I smile at him. "Alright. I like pasta." 

I watch him as he moves around the kitchen almost clumsily. As the water starts boiling without him noticing and it overflows in the pot, I go to help him. 

"Let me help," I say as I move towards him. 

He glares at me before exclaiming, "I can do this! Just... let me take care of you. Okay?" 

I nod as I step back. "Alright, fine," I put my hands up in surrender. 

As he moves around the kitchen I suddenly start to really watch him. 

He is in a tank top, his metal arm gleaming in the light and his hair in a bun. His military tags are dangling from his neck as he moves, making a clinging sound every time he does. 

I bite my lower lip. 

I hadn't really thought about last night today, I was too distracted by Steve's absence, but having Bucky in front of me now, it all comes back to me. 

How he watched me. How it felt. How Steve reacted to the fact that Bucky was watching. 

How he seemed like a completely different person from the one standing in front of me right now...

I keep my gaze on him as I watch him cook. His muscles flex as he grabs for something from the top shelf and I see his shoulders clench together. 

I finally catch myself and turn my gaze elsewhere. 

I clear my throat, "So, how are you?" I ask. I want to kick myself for being so awkward. 

He turns to look at me with furrowed brows, "Fine?"

My eyes catch his and we just stare at each other for a second. I have no idea what to say. 

He finally catches on and this time, he's the one clearing his throat. "I mean, I'm good. Yeah. I'm great. How are you?" He turns back to his cooking after answering. 

"Great..." I say, trailing off. 

... 

Bucky finishes cooking in awkward silence and we both take our food to the couch. I turn on the TV and find Netflix. I go to one of my favorite shows and ask him, "You ever seen this show before?"