Best Friends - Till the end of the line

You Great Blithering Idiot

Rose spent most of the next day in her room, building up the courage to talk to Bucky. She got dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and a vest top, before throwing on her leather jacket and a pair of over the knee black boots. Putting on a a light layer of makeup she headed downstairs. She found Bucky outside sat on the steps leading up to the porch of Clint's house. She thought about talking with him right there before deciding there was too many ears. Without stopping she walked past him.

Bucky was hesitant to say anything, in fears that she'd run again. He looked at her outfit and smiled, she was dressed in one of his favourite outfits. The way every bit of material clings to every curve leaves him speechless. Rose stopped a few steps in front of him and turned round. "You coming or what?" She asked before carrying on. Bucky smiled and jogged to catch up with her.

The pair walked in silence for a while before Bucky linked his fingers with Rose. When she didn't pull away or slap him he relaxed slightly. "I really am sorry Doll." Rose sighed, she knew he was sorry. It didn't make it any better or any easier. "I know you are Buck, doesn't make it any easier though. I want nothing more than to forgive you, but it's going to take time."

"Is this because of Loki?"
Rose ripped her hand away from his and stopped walking. She faced him, anger in her eyes. "That is none of your business!" Bucky regretted what he'd said straight away and stepped towards her. "I'm..." he started to apologise before Rose stopped him. "I swear to god Bucky, if the next words are 'I'm sorry' I'm about to shove that metal arm where the sun doesn't shine." Bucky couldn't help but smile, he loved it when she got feisty. Rose shook her head and started walking again. Bucky looked towards her, her beauty was unparalleled to anyone he'd ever seen before, she was constantly taking his breath away. He could see she was lost in her own thought.
"He was your first love wasn't he. The one you said abandoned you in London." He spoke softly, trying his best not to upset her anymore.

Rose smiled, the memory of Loki walking up to her on the bridge, it used to cause her pain thinking about it, but now it made her smile.
"Yeah he was. I fell in love with him the second I saw him."
Bucky looked at her recalling the memory, and he thought she was smiling about loving him. He looked down at the ground. "You can't compete with a first love." He mumbled, not entirely sure if she'd heard him or not. Rose hit him over the back of the head, not breaking a stride in their walk. "Will you stop it! This isn't a competition Buck." Rose took a deep breath. "Besides, you're wrong. He may have been my first love, and he will always hold a special place in my heart. But you, you great blithering idiot, you are my true love."
Bucky couldn't help but smile. "You said 'are' not 'were'. Does that mean?..."

Rose smiled while shaking her head, of course he'd pick up on that little detail. "Did I? Huh. My brain must be malfunctioning." This was what she'd missed, just them, two friends who fell in love. She wanted time apart to truly forgive him, but being around him made it hard. She wanted nothing more than for him to wrap his arms around her and take her home, but that wouldn't help right now.
"I'm pretty sure your brain started malfunctioning the day you walked down that alley to save Steve." He watched her out of the corner of his eye and saw her smile.
"Or maybe it was the day I let to famous ladies man of Brooklyn into my heart." She said referring to the amount of woman Bucky used to date back in the 40s.
"That's not me anymore. Not since I met you."
Rose rolled her eyes, of course he'd get defensive over that.
"Do you think we'd even be having this conversation if I didn't know that?"

Bucky noticed a bar up ahead in the small town they'd come across. He pointed it out to her. "Fancy a drink while we continue this awkward conversation?"
Rose couldn't help but smile. "I thought you'd never ask!" She grabbed his hand and practically ran into the bar.

Back at Clint's everyone was sat around after having a nice home cooked meal, courtesy of Laura.
"Has anyone seen Rose tonight?" Nat asked breaking the silence. Steve smiled, "her and Buck went for a walk a few hours ago." He looked at the clock. "Thought they would've been back by now though." He wasn't worried, it was about time they spoke to each other.
"Vibranium arm or not, if he upsets her. I'll kill him myself." Tony stated, he didn't trust Bucky at the best of times, especially when it came to Rose's well-being.
Steve immediately came to Bucky's defence, surprising absolutely no one. "He just wants the woman he loves back Tony. He didn't mean to upset her last time."
Tony couldn't help but scoff at Steve's comment. "You referring to him starting an argument, or when he left her? For someone who claims to love her, he sure does upset her a lot."
Steve was getting fed up with Tony's constant need to put Bucky down. He was trying his best, sure he'd made mistakes but he loved Rose more than anything in this world. "That's not fair and you know it."
"It's perfectly fair. Don't even get me started on you. Some best friend you are." Tony said agitated.
Nat looked between the two, if Rose could see the two men now, she was sure she'd have something to say. "Enough. This isn't about you two. We all get it, you both love her, now grow up and just be there for her." The two men looked at each other before heading their separate ways.

Upstairs Clint was talking to Laura, worried about Rose. "I don't like her being away this long." He stated sitting in the chair by the window looking out for Rose and Bucky. Laura came over and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "She's more than capable of looking after herself. She'll come back, try not to worry so much." Clint held her hand. "I can't help it, she seems to think she's the one that needs the team, but it's us that needs her."