Spirited {Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier fanfic}

Chapter 14

We reached the kitchen and he stood there awkwardly.

"Um, so if you want help with anything you can ask F.R.I.D.A.Y. and...well, me. Or anyone like Nat or Steve." He gave a side smile which was funny to watch because it looked like a grimace and I could clearly see he wasn't comfortable with expressing himself yet. I knew if he were to one day become comfortable enough to go back to acting like the man he was before everything, he'd steal hearts left and right. At least, according to our history books, if they were anything to go by.

"I'll just make a quick sandwich then. You want?" I asked looking at him, already walking towards the counter.

Bucky gave me a baffled expression. "You should be resting, you don't look too well."

"Geez Mr. Barnes, thanks." I smiled teasingly at him.

"I-I didn't mean it that way-" I cut off his panicked answer by laughing.

"I know, I'm just teasing." I answered sweetly, taking a seat at the counter stool.

"Right." He said, giving an embarrassed chuckle.

"Well, I'll just have whatever's available." I said, trying to break the weird silence that came after that exchange. Bucky looked around and spotted a Nutella jar.

"Nutella?" He asked, pointing his thumb at the jar that was behind him.

"Yes!" My eyes lit up.

Bucky smiled, getting the bread, Nutella and a knife. While making the sandwich, he spoke up.

"I should warn you, though. Sam likes to snack on this by dipping his finger and just licking it straight out the jar." He gave a slightly guilty look at that.

"Ewww!"

He shrugged his right shoulder and went back to cutting. "Yeah." 

"Doesn't matter, I'm delirious right now and probably lacking sugar so I'll just have to get back at Sam some other time."

"Suit yourself." He answered, keeping the plate in front of me. I took a bite and felt some energy return to me.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

To break the awkward silence that had yet again descended upon us, I spoke up.

"You know, you were in our history books."

His head whipped back to face me from the window that he was staring at. He had a mix of confusion and surprise and probably a million other emotions going through his eyes which I couldn't make out. How did people in books do that?

"What?" 

"Yeah, your whole team was mentioned in it. A box on one page was dedicated to you solely because you were the only member of the Howling Commandoes to...you know." He nodded at that. I didn't know if it was too soon to be bringing up his apparent death-turned-capture but it was too late so I just left it at that.

"It was mentioned though, that you were quite a ladies man, and did some killer moves on the dance floor." I teased him because, to be honest, I have no clue how to console people. 

"Oh my god, what? Oh no." He face-palmed, trying to hide away from the embarrassment.

I laughed at his red cheeks and his clearly embarrassed smile. It was the most genuine expression I'd seen coming from him till now. 

"Yeah, they did interviews with all of your friends and co-workers. Apparently you could charm the pants off of anyone. We even got to see some amazing photos, fake candids and all that. Everyone who had history probably fell for you then and those that didn't  have that subject shifted quite quickly. You're very popular among the ladies, even now."