Hard to Love (Bucky Barnes fanfic)

Chapter 54

A/N: Time skips in the beginning, apologies. Exciting things in this one though!

So that meeting wasn't as long as I had predicted. Since Shuri couldn't find much with my abilities there wasn't a lot of data to send over. Not that we'd really need it, knowing everything we do now thanks to Thor. Steve and I went into great detail about driving around Livadia, obviously skipping over the intimate parts with Bucky and I, until I took over the conversation and explained what went down on my end. The tugging sensation in my body, how I found Grace, the pain going away once I had a physical hold on her

The whole shebang basically

After my part of the meeting was done and documented, Bruce took the floor. Holding a thin packet of paper in his hand with a solemn expression which peaked everyones interest

He informed us that agent bitchs death, he had stated her actual name and not my insult for her, was in fact a suicide. During her autopsy they found a crushed flat cylinder pill capsule half dissolved and dried up to the back of her throat. Cyanide in her system. They also noted that one of her earrings were missing, the size and shape of the pill capsule matching the earring she still had in

She took the cowards way out

The news didn't surprise any of us. Did it piss off some? Oh, absolutely. Me being at the top of that list

Once Bruce finished, Tony piped up and got Steve, Bucky and I caught up on all the interrogating of the other agents. Having gone through half our agents already since there weren't many to begin with. So far we've been in the clear

The whole compound rang in the New Year together and I know Tony wasn't thrilled of not being able to throw a crazy party like always but he didn't complain. Until the next day at least

The party had your typical celebration decorations, streamers and confetti, obnoxious party horns and frilled blowout noise makers, and a shit ton of champagne of course. Tony put on the ball drop in Time Square, Steve and Bucky both reminiscing on New Years back in the 40's, comparing the drastic and ungodly changes. Wanda telling us stories of how her family would celebrate together. Natasha and Clint trying to out-embarrass the other with past party blunders

The night was surprisingly fun. All of us together, laughing and making fools of ourselves. Scaring each other by coming up behind the other with a confetti popper or blowing one of those annoying rolled up paper party noise makers in someones ear. Natasha, Wanda and I getting a buzz from the champagne at the start of the event. For those few hours, it was like we weren't superheroes, not the infamous Avengers, secrets spies, or well-known scientists

But instead just a group of great friends having an even greater party together

When the ball dropped and everyone shouted 'Happy New Year!' I turned to Bucky and leaned up, not entirely thinking clearly, kissing the corner of Buckys lips. More lip than cheek honestly. He was taken by surprise, having not expected me to kiss him in front of everyone. The moment I pulled away from him is when I realized what I did

Bucky merely smiled down at me with a soft chuckle as I internally panicked. Quickly turning the other way and grabbing Nat, kissing high on her cheek. Then Wandas to not seem suspicious to Tony who watched the whole thing. I was going to offer Sam and Steve one as well to really seal the deal but Natasha pinched my arm with a shake of her head, whispering that Tony's too drunk and was too busy kissing his glass of whiskey to have noticed

After the party and when everyone had crawled to bed, knocking out from all the festivities and alcohol, I shifted and snuck to Buckys room. Where we celebrated ringing in the new year with our own bang