Just A Call

₂₃. Dᴏɴ·ᴛ Pʟᴀʏ

Emerson pushed open the door and walked out, a bigger smile on her face.

On her way out of the café, Emerson stopped to take a deep breath of the cold late November air, exhaled a large cloud of mist, looked up at the gray sky, and began to walk slowly toward the compound. She thought of a million things at once, but the thought that kept coming back was how she was going to tell Nat and Wanda who her lost love was. She was afraid of their reaction and that's what had kept her from telling anyone but Tony.

She couldn't explain the bond that had formed in one day between her and Stark, but she trusted him with her life.

She stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for it to turn green, and looked around. She stopped moving, and even her breath caught in her throat when she saw a familiar blonde head, arms around the waist of a man who was, according to the latest news, not her boyfriend. She snapped out of her stupor and took a picture of the couple as they began to kiss. 

Disgusted, Emerson crossed the street and was almost hit by a car, which stopped just in time, insulting her by name. She didn't stop, the sounds becoming more distant. She didn't even notice that she had arrived at the compound, her head still down, even more lost in her thoughts. She raised her head just in time to walk into the chest of a man waiting for the elevator. When she raised her head, she opened her eyes wide and took a step back.

Barnes. Bucky Barnes.

She looked away, realizing she had looked at him for a second too long, and cleared her throat. Bucky looked at her with a raised eyebrow but said nothing and got on the elevator first. He pressed their floor and held the elevator door open, waiting for Emerson to decide to move and get on. She shook her head, smiled faintly and walked to the stairs. She was grabbed by the wrist and pulled into the elevator.

When the doors closed, Bucky stopped the elevator and turned to the woman, his back against the wall.

"What do you want, Barnes?" Emerson asked, faking annoyance

"What was that?" he asked after a few seconds of awkward silence in which he had stared at her without any shame

"What was what?" she replied, raising both eyebrows, facing him "I hate you, why would I want to take the elevator with you?"

"Yes, I know you hate me," he said, rolling his eyes "but that, that's not how you usually hate me."

"What's wrong with how I hate you now?" she questioned, and after a few seconds continued, a smirk appearing on her face "would you like how I hate you?"

"What!? No! Of course not!" he exclaimed "it's just weird... you usually wouldn't miss a chance to insult me or anything... just weird..."

Seeing that Emerson wasn't going to add anything, he sighed, reaching out to start the elevator again but...

"I met Sharon."

"Excuse me?" he asked, turning to look at her

"I met Sharon," she repeated "and I was wondering something... what is it you find to like about her?"

"What?"

"I'm just curious!" she defended herself, raising both hands in front of her

"It's none of your business." he huffed, then turned the elevator back on and went back to his room without saying a word

Emerson exited the elevator and headed for her door. Hearing voices inside, she took a deep breath and entered with a big fake smile on her face.

" You're still here?" she asked the two girls sitting in front of her