Ordinary (A Marvel Fanfiction)

Chapter Five

"Are you scared now?" He asked, watching me with his piercing blue eyes.

I opened my mouth to respond, but I didn't quite know what my answer would be. Luckily, the sound of someone calling my name saved me from having to answer. I whirled around, meeting the eyes of Louisa.

"Your shift is over, sweetie!" She shouted from across the diner, "And your pretty friend is waiting outside for you!"

I turned slightly to look out the front window and noticed Nico behind the wheel of his car, air drumming to a song. I smiled slightly, the scene relaxing me.

"Give me a second!" I called back over to Louisa. She nodded and immediately went back to work.

I turned around, but when I finally looked at the booth, Bucky was missing. I gasped, whirling around in a circle in the attempt to find him, but it was fruitless. He was gone. I frowned. I wasn't sure if I was more upset with his identity or the fact that he was gone. And that thought was completely ridiculous.

I shook my head and hustled to the back. I clocked out and gathered my stuff in record time, before saying goodbye to everyone and rushing out the door. Nico smiled at me and leaned across the passenger seat to open the door from the inside. I slid in next to him, immediately turning down the too-loud radio. He pouted for a second, but I must have had a weird look on my face, because it instantly morphed into a look of concern.

"Are you okay?" He asked hesitantly.

I mumbled a "yeah," but even I could tell how distracted I sounded. Nico looked even more worried than before, but he didn't push. I loved that about him.

"I forgot you were working." He told me, starting the car. "I stopped by your loft. Your cat hates me."

"My cat hates everyone." I laughed.

Nico is the only other person who has a key to my loft. We were actually going to move in together, but Finn asked him to move in with him the day after we got the keys. Nico, of course, protested. But I knew Finn would take care of him, so I told him to do it, under one condition: he kept a key to my apartment.

"Home or class?" He asked, like usual.

"Class." I said, letting out a huge sigh. That caused Nico to laugh loudly.

"No need to sound so disappointed by it!"

"Having a night off yesterday really spoiled me." I told me, amused at the irony of the situation. Last night had in no way spoiled me. In fact, it had done anything but.

Nico pulled up on the road next to campus, and parked, even though it was technically illegal to do so. He leaned back and pulled my book bag out from behind my seat. He must've grabbed it from my apartment when he had come looking for me. I smiled gratefully at him. I had completely forgot about it in my daze this morning.

"There is also a change of clothes in there. I figured you didn't want to sit in your uniform all night."

I could've kissed him. I quickly opened the bag and pulled out the clothes. I started changing right there in the car and Nico politely adverted his eyes, but kept talking.

"Call me when you get out. Or, at the very least, text me." He said, watching some squirrels race around a tree together. "I won't be able to come pick you up tonight, so at least let me know that you made it back to your apartment without getting mugged."

"Yes, dad." I sighed, rolling my eyes. He shot me a dirty look, so I quickly said, "I'll text you, but I'll be okay."

He sighed, but didn't protest as I climbed out of the car, tossing my bag over my shoulder. I slammed the door shut and started walking away, but I paused when I heard the window being rolled down.

"I love you!" He called after me, exasperation obvious in his voice.

"Love you too!" I called, laughing, as I speeded away.

My classes went by in a blur. My mind always ended up wandering to Bucky, no matter how many times I told myself I needed to focus on the lecture. Despite this, my notes ended up filled with sketches of a man with a metal arm. By the time classes were over, it was well past midnight and relief filled me to my core. I hoped to get the notes from someone else and I spent the first few minutes of my walk texting the people I knew in my classes.

It was cold out and I remembered how close winter was. I was not looking forward to trying to heat my poor apartment. Last year, I had taken to shoving a towel under my door to stop the heat from leaking out. I shivered, pulling my jacket closer around my body. I quickly tossed a look over my shoulder, making sure no one was behind me. I could never be too safe.

Just as I hit the street my building was on, rain started pouring from the sky. I groaned and started sprinting towards home, growling swear words underneath my breath. When I reached the building, I slammed into the front door, racing into the building. I paused for a minute in the lobby, shaking out my hair. I sent Nico a quick text letting him know I got home safely.

I sighed and started up the stairs, wringing my hair out on the way up. I paused at my door to dig out my keys, listening as Banjo yowled through the door. I fumbled to shove the keys in the door, my hands exhausted and cold.

Finally, the door swung open and I stomped in, kicking my shoes off and to the side. I dropped my bag next to the door and yawned, exhaustion flooding my body. I reached over to flick on a lamp, and immediately froze, cold fear streaming through my veins.

There was a man sitting on my couch.