Imagine If You Assembled the Avengers: Volume 1

I Don't Cuddle (Bucky Barnes x reader)

"Steve, no," Bucky whispered, "you can't leave me here with her. I'm not gonna know what to do."

The Captain laughed and gave his friend a supportive pat on the back, then grabbed his gear for the mission that was about to begin. "Buck, you took care of me for years, and this is too much for you? She has a migraine. The most she'll ask for is maybe for you to stop talking."

"Okay, yeah, but-"

Steve took a step back to regard Bucky for a moment, looking at him skeptically. "What's really going on? Why are you so worked up over this? You're the one who said that you didn't feel ready to go on a mission with us yet, so this is the job I'm giving you instead."

Bucky sighed and rubbed his cheek, looking at Steve and then down to his feet as if he were embarrassed. "It's just that...I haven't really talked to her much. I feel like she's avoiding me or something."

"She's not. She's giving you the space you asked for, remember? You told everyone to give you time to adjust. So...adjust." Steve gave a small nod and turned to join the team for takeoff, leaving Bucky to stand quietly, uncomfortably, and alone with you and with no idea of what to do.

"I'm not going to bite you, Barnes," you groaned from beneath a large pile of blankets pulled over your head. "Unless you're into that sort of thing."

"Um...well...I suppose..." he stammered, finally taking a few steps towards you.

You pulled your head out from beneath your cocoon and gave him a surprised look, one eyebrow raised suspiciously, "excuse me?" You laughed quietly, since any movement or loud noise sent a pounding through your head. "Sorry, you might have to buy me a drink first." You heard a chuckle come from Bucky, very quiet, but it was there. Satisfied that you had lightened the mood enough for him to relax, you buried yourself in the darkness of your blankets once again.

You could hear him sit down in a chair nearby and let out a deep sigh as he relaxed into it. He was close enough to keep an eye on you as he was directed to, but not so close as to make an uncomfortable situation for either of you.

"Do you get these a lot?" he asked so quietly that you almost didn't hear him. "The headaches?"

"Um, not too often." Once again you pulled your head from the cover you had built, peeking out with a squint to block the light from your vision. Any light that got through caused more pain and the muscles behind your eyes to tighten. "If they were just a headache, I could work through them, but mine get pretty crazy. I feel bad that it takes me away from my job. Like I'm not pulling my weight."

"Steve seemed pretty understanding about it. He was pretty concerned and wanted to be sure I kept an eye on you."

"I don't need a babysitter."

Bucky raised his hands and sat up a bit straighter in his chair, "hey, I didn't say that you did. I'm not babysitting."

"So then why have you been staring at me this whole time? What are you afraid of that I might do?" Despite the fatigue in your muscles and the waves of nausea that kept attacking, you pushed yourself up on an elbow to turn towards him. "You don't need to be here if you don't want to. He'll get over it."

"Hey, fine by me," Bucky huffed, pushing himself up to leave, "I know when I ain't wanted." He was nearly out of the room when the sound of you moaning and breathing fast caught his attention. He turned back to see you leaning over the side of the couch, your stomach finally getting the best of you.

"Okay, okay," he whispered, hurrying to sit next to you and pull your hair back, "I think maybe we can both agree that you're wrong."

"Not...the time...Barnes," you panted, trying to keep your stomach calm. "Not...the time."