Betrayal - A Bucky Barnes Fanfic

Chapter 35

The rest of the day flew by. After everyone had eaten breakfast together and Ava's mum had restrained herself from commenting on past lovers, there was a board game session after lunch, where Nat seemed determined to do everything she could to beat James. Whenever he had to pay rent, she would start screaming cheerfully, even if she wasn't the one to get the money. James, on the other hand, tried to stay cool and not let on that Nat's constant cheering at his failure were incredibly annoying to him. Ava noticed, however, that at Nat's third cry of "You loser!" in his direction, James tightened his jaw and his body visibly stiffened. Pityingly, she had looked at him and gently stroked his leg, eliciting a smile.

After the game round, which James had lost hopelessly, Ava decided to help her mom with dinner. That way she could have some time alone with her, even though she feared Nat and James would slaughter each other in the garden when only Steve was around to de-escalate an argument.

"And so this James is ...," Melinda began as Ava started preparing the vegetables.

"My boyfriend," Ava finished the sentence without taking her eyes off the cucumber in front of her.

"He's a bit old, don't you think?" continued Melinda.

"He's in his mid-thirties, nothing dramatic." Ava really didn't want to talk about her age difference with James.

"I'm just worried about you," Melinda continued, coming to stand next to Ava.

"He treats me well. It's not like last time, it's different this time." Ava put the knife aside and took a deep breath, frustrated that her mom was comparing James to Loki. James was very different from Loki. Better. Protective. Attentive. Romantic. And he didn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Loki.

"I like him," Melinda said softly and only now did Ava lift her eyes. Her mom smiled at her and Ava couldn't help but smile back. But in Melinda's eyes, Ava could also see worry. Fear. Uncertainty.

"Mom, I'll take care of myself. Please don't worry about me."

"You know, your father would be so proud of you. Of all you've accomplished. You've grown up so much, his big girl, all alone in New York." Melinda was still smiling, but Ava could see the tears pushing their way out of the edges of her eyes.

"I'm not alone, I still have Nat," Ava said softly, taking her mom into a tight hug.

For a while they prepared dinner in silence. Ava enjoyed cooking with her mom without having to talk. As if they understood each other telepathically and as if it was clear that everything was fine now. That things could only go uphill from now on.

"I'll finish the rest, go and get your friends," Melinda said as Ava took the boiling pasta off the cooker.

Ava walked out of the kitchen into the living room where the patio door was wide open and the scent of the heavy summer air drifted in. Ava was still feeling cheerful from her conversation with her mom when she heard Nat's loud voice and stopped, rooted to the spot.

"I've had enough, you're such a fucking idiot, Bucky!" Ava immediately recognised Nat's heated voice and wondered why she was calling James Bucky. Until now she had thought only Steve, his childhood friend, called him that.

"It's none of your business, so stay out of it." Ava could tell just by the pitch of his voice that James had his poker face on, she hadn't needed to see his face for that.

"You have to tell her, otherwise I will." Nat stopped shouting, her voice sounding icy. Threatening. She was not to be trifled with now.

"Tell me what?" asked Ava, leaning into the frame of the patio door. Steve and James had sat down at the small garden table, Nat stood at the head of the table with her hands on her hips. Startled, she turned to face Ava.

Ava looked expectantly at Nat, who seemed to be struggling for words. An unusual sight of an otherwise outspoken Nat, Ava thought. Before Nat could reply, James took over the talking.

"I admit it, I cheated at Monopoly and I'm sorry for that," James said, standing up. He didn't look at her, Nat avoided her gaze as well. Ava wasn't stupid, she knew James was lying to her. She just didn't know why yet.

"You're forgiven, you've lost anyway," Ava said cheerfully, putting on a smile. "Dinner is ready," she added, walking ahead back into the living room. A tingle spread through her stomach, not the good kind of tingle. More the kind of tingle just before something terrible was about to happen. When you saw the car speeding towards you and couldn't help but stare into the headlights like a startled deer and let the inevitable happen, to look misfortune in the eye.

Dinner passed that evening without further incident, harmonious and light-hearted, even James and Nat joking with each other. The calm before the storm, Ava thought, laughing at Nat's jokes without batting an eye.

"You look worried," Melinda said as Ava helped her with the dishes in the kitchen. Lost in thought, she had spent what felt like an eternity scrubbing a plate that couldn't have gotten any cleaner. Melinda took the sponge from her hand and looked at her worriedly. From upstairs, Ava could hear muffled laughter, Steve and Nat light-heartedly enjoying their time together while James had gone for a walk for an important phone call.

„Everything is fine," Ava said, turning away from her mom.

"If this is still about my comment-"

"It's not," Ava cut her mom off. She was long past being upset that her mom had brought up the Loki thing in front of James.

"I just wanted to tell you that you deserve to be happy. Enjoy the happiness you have now. Enjoy the time you have together with James and try not to worry so much about the future." Melinda didn't wait for a reaction from Ava, but instead disappeared from the kitchen.

Ava was glad to have a moment just for herself. Finally she could sort out her thoughts in peace and maybe her mother was right. Maybe she was trying to sabotage her own happiness, unable to admit to herself a happy time with James. Her thoughts were interrupted by the front door closing.

"Hi," Ava said as she greeted James in the hallway.

"Hi," he replied with his unreadable expression.

"Everything okay at work?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," James replied, smiling at Ava. Then Ava resolutely closed her distance to James, confidently grabbed his jacket and pulled him down to her before giving him a passionate kiss.

"What have I done to deserve this?" James whispered, slightly out of breath, his lips barely separated from Ava's.

"Hold me and never let me go," Ava whispered back against his lips. She didn't care that she sounded desperate. She would make the most of every second she could spend with James. Find every moment precious and accept ending up with a broken heart that couldn't be mended.

For a moment, the hallway fell silent. The narrow hallway seemed to constrict Ava further, to press her more against James. Then James kissed Ava authoritatively and wrapped his arms tightly around her body, pressing her body against his as if he would never let her go ever again.

Ava was sure that she would never feel as safe as she did at that moment.