Avengers Preferences and Imagines

Bucky Barnes: Catchup Chapter

***Edited and Revised on February 21 2022***

How You Meet

Nothing made me regret my life choices more than going for a run on a hot summer day. And during this run, I'm pretty confident that I've cycled through the five stages of grief. Denial was telling myself that it "wasn't that bad" the first few paces after my feet had hit the scalding pavement. Anger was thirty minutes later when I was sweating more than I thought humanely possible and was cursing myself for even leaving my building in this weather. Bargaining was telling myself that if I just completed an hour-long run we could get iced coffee on the way home; making it all worth it. Depression was self-explanatory. And acceptance was continuing my run anyway because I knew that it was good for me and would help me destress after a long and busy week. When I was close to the end of my circuit, I spotted a friend of mine from work, running ahead of me. I knew right away it was him: he was passing every other runner and the heat didn't seem to phase him at all.

I quickly made note of the fact that he wasn't running alone; he was accompanied by a long-haired brunette man that I didn't recognize. Deciding it would be fun to mess with my friend, I increased my pace; trying to focus on keeping my footfalls as light as possible to avoid giving myself away. When I was close enough to do so, I lunged and tackled him onto the grass on the side of the path, laughing as I did so. Steve became a blur of arms and legs as he tried, and failed, to shake me off of him. Finally giving up, I rolled off of him and onto the grass, hysterical with laughter. "(Y/n)?! What the hell?!" Steve shouted, stunned and confused. I could barely get a response out in-between my fit of laughter. "Oh god, you should have seen your face, Rogers!" I giggled, pointed, and laughed at his still funny expression. "In my defense, I did tell you that I would get you back for scaring the crap out of me a few weeks ago," I said with a shrug. "That. Was an ACCIDENT." He complained, not believing that his mistake was at all worth my revenge.

At the same moment, Steve and I remembered that he hadn't been running alone. When I looked over, his companion was watching us with an expression that mixed worried and amused. After another moment of silence, he finally doubled over in laughter. The sound of it was like music to my ears; his laugh was contagious and before I could try and stop it I was laughing again too. Steve, however, looked unamused. "Really? Both of you? Unbelievable" Steve said as he rolled his eyes and stood up from the ground. "Come on Steve, don't be such a poor sport." His friend teased as he continued to laugh. When I looked up, the man's hand was in front of me. Exhaustion setting in, I grabbed it and let him help me up. Holy hell this man was strong. "I guess I should introduce the two of you, huh?" Steve said, apparently his cheerful mood had been recovered. "(Y/n) this is James Barnes." He smiled at me and offered me his hand to shake. "Don't listen to him, nobody calls me James, just Bucky." He said with a charming smile. "Well it's nice to meet you Bucky," I said, shaking his outstretched hand.

Once again feeling the exhaustion from the heat, I broke away from the two of them and went to flop down in the shade under a big tree. The two of them followed me. "(Y/n) what are you doing?" Steve asked, I looked up at him from my spot on the ground. "It's hotter than hell out here, I've given up on my run," I told him confidently, not bothered at all by the fact that I had decided to give up. "Oh come on (y/n) that's ridiculous! It's not even that hot out and-" Steve started, going off on one of his infamous tangents. "I don't know Steve. It's pretty hot out here." Bucky agreed in a teasing tone as he flopped onto the grass beside me. "Oh come on, not you too Buck," Steve said, crossing his arms as he stared down at the two of us. "Hey Steve, you know what would be incredible right now?" Bucky asked him, a hint of mischief in his voice. When Steve didn't answer, Bucky continued. "A couple of iced coffees." Steve rolled his eyes. "Well then get up Buck, you're coming with me," Steve demanded. Bucky slapped his hand to his chest, looking 'offended' and clearly not wanting to get up. "Come on now Steve. I couldn't possibly leave (Y/n) here all by herself!" He protested. He and I both knew that I could handle myself just fine; the tank top with the S.H.I.E.L.D emblem on it made it quite clear, but I played along anyway just to get a rise out of Steve.