Disruption. | Bucky Barnes

Chapter 50.

I give Bucky his space as much as I can.

When he comes to eat I finish my own food as fast as possible, if he enters the training room I tell Nat (who has been teaching me some more self defense based stuff) that I'm done for the day.

It's obvious what I'm doing, but I know he wants some time to think, about me, us... I don't know.

Saturday arrives and Nat finds me around 4pm, she knocks on the door to my room and throws me a sly smirk.

Her hair is wet and she's wearing sweats.

"Why aren't you showered? We're going at 8!"

I look at her from my laptop screen, debating ordering some Gucci boots I've got my eye on.

"Going where?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

Nat turns her head with a slight tilt upwards, "do you not remember you asked us all to go out tonight? Last week? When Bucky had a girlfriend." She doesn't hide her amusement.

"I figured we weren't going anymore?" I ask and Nat shakes her head, plopping on the end of my bed.

"No babe, we're still going. Get in the shower."

She playfully winks at me and pushes down my laptop screen, "go on!"

I roll my eyes and stand up, "yes mum." I laugh with a slight wince at the thought of my mum and head into the bathroom.

"Don't forget to shave!" She shouts after me and I peak my head round the door, looking at her with a dead pan expression.

"Just in case?" She shrugs with the slightest smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth.

I shut the door behind me and turn on the shower, the hot water instantly steaming up the entire room, overwhelming my pores and instantly dampening my skin.

The water overwhelms me once I'm undressed and have stepped under the spray, I feel content under the heat, as my mind wanders to what will be the first time I've been in Buckys company for days.

***

I do my makeup and hair, put on a black dress I haven't worn before and stand in the mirror, looking at myself.

For the first time since I've been back, home... I feel like I look like myself, I've gained weight, there's more colour to my skin, I don't look sickly anymore, I feel stronger, like my bones have  healed from feeling so brittle and broken.

I allow myself to smile at my reflection, appreciating the positive changes to both mind and body since I've been here again.

A light knock on my door pulls me out of myself, Nat walks into the room and eyes me up, "you look amazing."

She has faint tears in her eyes as she makes her way to me and takes me in. She shakes her head to compose herself. "I'm really so glad you're okay."

I feel myself well up too, my relationship with her has grown since I returned, but we haven't had a heart to heart, like we maybe need. However it's just not who Nat is, and I suppose she knows me well enough to know I've had enough of people crying over me.

Nat steps into the mirror beside me and eyes us both, "we're gonna have a good night." She smiles at me and I feel her hold and squeeze my hand.

I turn my head and look at her and she does the same, we laugh together and she bumps my shoulder with her own.

"Let's go!" She pulls me along with her, leading me to the door.

We head down towards the kitchen, where Steve and Bucky are waiting for us. I feel nervous, he always looks so good dressed up.