unordinary | BUCKY BARNES

chapter nine

You and Bucky were used to avoiding each other, but nothing like this before. If he entered a room, you left. Neither of you could even bring yourselves to sit even on the opposite side of a room. You just didn't know how to react in this situation.

You had had a few one night stands in your time, but that wasn't even what happened with Bucky, honestly, it would be easier if that IS what happened. But it wasn't. Almost a week ago you nearly kissed the man you used to hate. But you didn't hate him anymore, you couldn't hate him anymore. When you had a one night stand there was no genuine feelings towards each other, you could do it and leave without hesitation. But you had feelings for Bucky, you found it hard to admit- but it was true.

And he was about to kiss you... He had to feel the same... Right?

Bucky sat in the corner of the room on his own, no one else was here apart from an IT worker who would walk through every few minutes to get something and leave again. Bucky was trying to read more of the fault in our stars, but he couldn't concentrate on the words. All he could think about was you, how nice you had been to him, how much you were willing to help him when all he had ever been was a jerk to you, and then he screwed it up by trying to kiss you. You probably thought that he was just taking advantage of him and that he's now lost any possibility of friendship with you that he had the chance for.

But he did like you, he really did like you. He hadn't felt like this in a long time. But you hadn't spoken to each other in 6 days... He was loosing hope.

—

"Cat, Buck," Steve's voice was heard through the intercom, catching your attention instantly. "Report to main conference room immediately. It's urgent."

Steve sounded stressed as he called on his friends to meet him, making you feel the need to get to him faster. 

You got out of your chair and started to walk towards the conference room, you used to be in here all the time but the amount of missions you had to go on had become lesser and lesser. Which was good because that meant less trouble in the world you had to deal with, but you gotta admit, you missed the action sometimes.

Bucky heard the urgency in his best friends voice and put down his book and quickly made his way towards Steve.

"Cat!" He caught up with you in the hallway. "Do you know what's going on?"

This was the first time you had spoken to Bucky since that night, and it caught you off guard a bit.

"Uhm, no I don't." You replied. "We weren't due to leave until tomorrow so I'm worried."

"Yeah." Bucky said. "Me too."

He gently patted your shoulder and you both ran to the conference room, where Steve was waiting with a map pulled up.

"Hey Cap, what's up?" You asked, taking a seat next to Steve, Bucky doing the same.

He sat so close that you could feel the heat coming off of him, it comforted you during this time of stress. Him just being here made you feel much better about the mission you were suspected to go on.

"Nat and Tony had to follow a lead North." Steve started. "You are going to have to continue their route and work your way through London the next few days."

"Oh god." You let out a sigh of relief. "I was scared they were hurt."

"No they are perfectly fine." Steve responded. "However you guys need to leave in an hour. I have your fake IDs and identities, Cat your name is Elizabeth Goodwin, and Buck, your Charles Goodwin."

"We're married?" You asked. God this would be awkward.

"Only if someone asks." Steve said, seeing the worry on your face.

Steve saw you the other night, so you suspected he understood your worry.

"You don't have to act like a couple unless you desperately have to. A couple was the easiest option for a double fake identity."

It's gonna be fine. It's gonna be fine, you thought to yourself.

This was a mission. Nothing you haven't done before. This time it would be with Bucky, and that is something something you hadn't done before.

"I'm sorry you have to leave on such short notice, this wasn't how I planned for it to fall out." Steve apologised, handing you your fake IDs and other paperwork you would need for the mission.

You rushed back to your room and started to pack, throwing the clothes you wore the most into a suitcase, along with some dresses and sports clothes. You never knew what you might need.

There was one time about a year ago when you actually did need a dress, and you had packed one ever since. The only time you actually wore dresses were for Tony's elaborate and expensive galas and parties, which you tried to get out of as much as you could but you were always dragged there by Nat or Steve because the press would be there, or they didn't have a date so they needed company, or Tony had threatened you with turning the central heating off in your bedroom so that you would freeze.

You heard a soft knock on your door, suspecting it was Steve, him finally learning to knock after his mistake last week.

"Come in!" You said loudly so that whoever was there would here you.

Bucky walked in, suitcase in hand.

"Barnes-" You said, surprised it was him but you brushed it off and turned it into a greeting. "Hey."

"You ready?" He asked, reaching out his human arm to help to pull you up from sitting on the floor.

His hand was soft to the touch and so much bigger than your own and you smiled at his friendly gesture.

"Yeah I think so." You said, zipping up your suitcase and standing it upright.

"Let's go." He replied. "The jet is ready."

You loaded your stuff into the Quinjet and strapped yourself in, ready for takeoff.

You had planned to land slightly outside London, and get the train in so that no one would suspect anything. An Avengers plane landing in central London was a bit of a giveaway.

You had never been good with flying, you squeezed your eyes shut and then felt a hand on your leg.

"It's gonna be okay." Bucky whispered.

His voice calmed you down slightly and you looked over to him and smiled.

The rest of the journey there was slow, you just talked over your plans and where you were booked in to stay. Tony being Tony had unsurprisingly booked rooms at an overly expensive hotel in Central London. Steve had confirmed you had a room each though, which made you feel a bit better about it knowing you wouldn't have to share a bed with Bucky or anything.

The jet landed and you got your luggage, and boarded a train set for Central London. You planned to stay there tonight and start your investigation tomorrow morning. You sent a text message to Steve saying that you had landed and that you were on a train. He replied with a thumbs up emoji, after you taught him how emojis work the week before.

The train only took around 20 minutes before you arrived and began to walk to the Hotel you were booked in at.

"Nice place, huh?" Bucky said as you walked through the grand doors of the hotel.

"Yeah it's... Amazing." You replied, mesmerised by the high ceilings, chandeliers and spiral staircase.

Bucky walked over to reception and checked the both of you in.

"Yeah me and my erm... Wife have two rooms booked." He said awkwardly.

"Under what name?" The receptionist asked.

"Goodwin... Charles Goodwin."

Bucky got the rooms keys and walked back over to you, handing you a key.

"Nice one, Charles." You smirked.

"Shut up." He replied, but he couldn't help smiling.