Fireflies↳Bucky Barnes

2- Love sick puppies

      I hear my door swing open from my bedroom and moments later my little brother Peter comes barreling in. He crashes face first into my bed and I raise an eyebrow. "What's up with you?" He turns over so I can see his face, then a goofy smile spreads across his lips. He covers his face, then shoves it back into the blankets. I smirk and chuckle. "Ooh." I say, now getting what this is about.

      For years my little brother has had a crush on his classmate Corinna Johnson. He's never had the nerve to talk to her. He groans into my bed, then turns on his back. "Did you talk to her yet?" He looks at me, eyes wide. "What? No way!" he stares at the ceiling for a moment, then covers his smiling face again. I laugh lightly, shoving my work out of the way. "You, Peter Parker, are a love sick puppy." He shows his face and I laugh seeing it bright red.

      "I am not!" He says as he hits my leg. I laugh, swatting his hand away. "You are too. Like a golden retriever. Especially the clumsy part." Peter glares at me, then sits up. "Why do I even like you?" He grumbles, crossing his arms. "All you do is make fun of me." I smirk at him and poke his arm. "Well, I am your sister. It's kind of my job to do that." He rolls his eyes, and I stand up to sit next to him.

      "You aren't going to believe who I met on a jog this morning." He looks at me, all annoyance gone. "Who?" He asks eagerly. I smirk at him. "Captain America." His jaw drops, then his smile widens. "No way!" I nod at him as he fanboys. "Way. He's stupidly fast too." Peter smiles like a goofball and holds the sides of his head. "My sister met freaking Captain America." I chuckle and elbow his side. "Now that I've buttered you up, let's talk about this crush of yours."

      Peter looks at me as if I had betrayed him. "You..." He crosses his arms, face red. I chuckle and walk into my kitchen, him right on my heels. "I'm telling you Peter, if you talk to her she will notice you." I give him a dramatic look as I open my fridge. "Girls love words." He glares at me. "You don't get to give me relationship advice. Not after your last boyfriend." I cringe as I pull out the cookie dough. "Oof, you really did go there."

      Peter nods. "I did." My boyfriend and I broke up a few months ago. His name was Alex and I still have no idea why I liked him. Or if I ever really did. He was a total ass to everyone, including me. He was always drunk or high. "Okay, maybe I don't have the best taste in guys, but I've heard that when you are single you give the best advice." Peter purses his lips and looks down at my counter.

      "I'll tell you what," He looks at me and I smirk. "You talk to her, I'll let you eat this." I wave the cookie dough in the air and Peter's smile grows wide. "Deal." I smile, then slide the cookie dough back into the fridge. "Do you need a ride back home?" He shakes his head, then grabs his bag. "No, I'll just take the subway." I nod and Peter exits my apartment.

      I trace the lining on my leather gloves. I always wear them when near anyone, but when I'm alone I can let go. Carefully, I pull both of them off, then I wiggle my fingers in the air. Small balls of light shed off my skin and float gracefully in the air, blinking happily. Just like fireflies. I'm not sure where this ability comes from. I've had it for years, but despite how beautiful it can be, it can be dangerous as well.

      It's why I wear the gloves. Any direct skin to skin contact can burn someone. I burnt my Uncle Ben's back once when I gave him a hug. He had a hand shaped mark on his back for weeks and I vowed to never let it happen again. He knows about my ability, but no one else does. Sometimes I'll see him looking at me with such sadness and guilt, it makes me wonder if he knows something I don't.

      I wish I could ask, but what am I to say? It's just so annoying to feel like a part of my life is missing and it's not like he knows how my parents died, right? He was told the same lie as everyone else. That my parents died in a plane crash.

      I shake my head and walk back into my bedroom. I've got to nail down a design for work or I might lose my internship.

˘°˘

      In the morning I find myself racing into the tower. It started to downpour while I was walking to the lobby from my parking space a few blocks down. I quickly run through security and into the elevator, not even noticing the figure already in there. "Ugh I hate rain." I grumble wiping water off my face. "I'm not much of a fan of it either." My heart drops. I know that voice.

      I whip around to find Tony Stark smirking at me. I gape. "Tony Stark." I whisper. He chuckles and nods. "The one and only." I get over my shock then smile. "It's an honor to meet you. My little brother is a huge fan." He smirks. "Is he now?" I nod, then smile at him. "You actually saved him a few years ago. At the Stark expo. He was wearing an Iron Man mask." Tony's eye twitches in thought then he nods. "Oh yeah. I have to say, he isn't too smart. Tried fighting one of Vanko's robots."

      I chuckle and nod. "Yeah, that's Peter. Always throwing himself into the line of fire, but I think he's learned not to do that." I frown and look at the elevator door. "I hope." Tony smiles at me as the elevator reaches our floor. "I actually ran into Cap yesterday." I say before he can walk in a different direction. "Really? How is the Capsicle." I chuckle. "A bit of show off." I start backing towards the labs. "It was great to meet you Tony. Thank you for being my little brother's hero." He nods, then walks off.

      "Wow, two avengers in as many days. Could this be a sign?" I laugh to myself then walk into the lab. Cody smirks at me and I point at him, already knowing what he is about to do. "Don't you dare." He laughs, then puts his hands up in defense. "Okay, okay."

- author's notes -

I'm trying to catch up on chapters on this and 'lycanthropy' so they are at the same point in time as 'spirits in my head'

I'm thinking of doing a bruce banner pairing for the next book, and if you've seen AXL then you're in for a treat.