before the storm / bucky barnes

007

          THAT night, I'm the one to wake up abruptly. Probably due to the music echoing throughout the room that I thought would help Bucky sleep.

The only thing lighting up the room is the artificial light beaming in from the streets of New York, illuminating Buck's face as he sleeps.

I sit up ever-so-slightly to see Bucky's face from a better angle, as he must've turned away from me in his sleep.

I rest my head on the fading red star on his left bicep to further drink in his features.

His gorgeous (and unfair) long lashes.

The bridge of his nose is highlighted by the streetlights below.

His flushed cheeks.

The way his lips part every time he–

Holy shit.

My eyes widen at the thought of it, so I jump onto the furthest area of my side of the bed.

I mean, I thought he was pretty (everyone thinks he's pretty!) but having a crush on him?

Grabbing my phone from the bedside table, I open a chat with Peter, and regardless of it being close to 4 am, I send him a text.

text messages between cassie-bear and petey-bear
cassie-bear: i don't care if ur free or not we're going out to lunch idc WHERE but I NEED TO TALK
petey-bear: can we get sushi at that place on west 42nd st
cassie-bear: dude wtf go to sleep its so late
petey-bear: BUT I
petey-bear: YOU
petey-bear: I JUST
petey-bear: why don't YOU go to sleep stupid
cassie-bear: ok goodnight see u tmrw @ 2 love u xoxoxox
petey-bear: >:(
petey-bear: love u too
petey-bear: goodnight

-

I fiddle with my chopsticks and shove the overpriced sushi around on my plate.

"So-" Peter mumbles through a mouthful of food. "-you needed to talk?"

Huffing, I place the chopsticks down and pout at him.

"Why do I do this to myself?" I whine dramatically, slumping my head onto the table and enclosing myself in my arms.

"I would be able to answer if I knew what was wrong," Peter chuckles and grabs another plate of sushi from the conveyor belt that rotates around the restaurant, carrying food.

"I think I like Bucky,"

"Cass, I can't hear you if you've tucked your entire face into your arms,"

I peek up at Peter and jut my bottom lip out more, before exhaling harshly and repeating myself.

Peter chokes on his food.

"You have a crush on the Winter Soldier? Mr Barnes?" Peter questions through his coughing fits.

"That's the one," I nod and pick up my chopsticks to point them at him.

"What? How?"

I then go into excruciating detail over every encounter I've had with Bucky since moving onto his floor a couple weeks ago — leaving out the night terrors.

While also swooning over his looks approximately five to seven times throughout the 10-minute explanation.

"You're sleeping in the same bed as him?" Peter practically grips the sides of the table as he hushes his voice, leaning into me.

"Pete, why are you whispering? We had the restaurant booked out," I gesture to the empty tables and chairs surrounding us.

"But still!" he continues in the same tone.

"You're so overdramatic," I roll my eyes at him, popping a piece of sushi into my mouth.

"And you better eat what you get, or the paps are gonna have a field day on how the Stark's waste their money," I snicker, rolling my eyes.

I begin waving at the growing number of paparazzi standing at the glass doors with their cameras.

"Don't turn around, the last thing you want is your photo on the front cover of every magazine in the US,"

I continue waving at them, before flipping every one of them off.

"You can turn around now, they have their cover photo," winking at the paps as their cameras go crazy.

-

"So!"

I almost drop the car keys onto the floor when Dad pops up right in front of my car.

"How was last night?" Dad asks me, flashing me a shit-eating grin with his arms crossed over his chest — the arc reactor glowing through his shirt.

"It was good, we got Chick-" I begin before Dad cuts me off.

"Chick-Fil-A? Yeah, I know." Dad pulls a crumpled up burger wrapper from the fold of his arms and places it in my hands.

"It was in the back seat of my Tesla. You know? The car I strictly advised you not to drive?"

My eyes practically bulge out of my skull as I clasp one hand over my mouth.

"Dad, I am so sorry! It will never ever happen again-"

Dad's grin stays settled on his face, and his only response to my hollow apologies is him sticking his hand out, palm-up.

Knowing he was gesturing for me to place the car keys into his hand.

"FRIDAY, if Cassandra even attempts to drive a car out of the garage for the next week, you alert me as soon as possible,"

"Yes, Sir."

"Thanks!" Dad places the car keys onto the rack of keys before stepping into the elevator, waving to me quite ironically.

"Wha-?"

"Put that wrapper in the bin, will you? Littering is bad,"

Scoffing, I stand next to cars I'm banned from using with my arms crossed over my chest.

"Dad!"

"Sorry, can't hear you over the fact that I'm parenting!"

"Dad!"

"FRIDAY, please repeat what I just said to Cassandra,"

"Mr Stark cannot hear you due to the fact that he is parenting, Miss,"

"Thanks, FRIDAY," I smile sweetly, glaring at Dad, who waves at me as the elevator doors close.

As a parting gift, I make two fists and tap them together twice – flipping him off FRIENDS style.

I had never seen my Father look so offended.

wow defensively is this a filler chapter?
MAYBE BUT MY BRAIN IS TIRED