One Night Stand (A Bucky Barnes Fanfiction)

Stranger Things

"Look alive Barnes, we're five minutes out from the compound."

I didn't bother to open my eyes or remove myself from where I laid across the seats of the Quinjet. I grunted a response to show Natasha I acknowledged what she had said and put my flesh arm over my face to shield my eyes. I had spent the last week and a half with her in a tiny remote Russian village, posing as newly weds on a very odd honeymoon, which just so happened to be ten minutes away from a newly formed Hydra base that we promptly infiltrated and destroyed. The mission was supposed to take two weeks, but Natasha and I were an efficient team, and we were returning early. I was happy to be going back to the compound, back to regular running hot water, decent food and my bed.

I had welcomed the mission as a distraction from the situation with Jade, able to keep my mind away from thoughts of her for most of the mission, it wasn't until I was lying on my cot in the dark at night, trying and failing to sleep that she crossed my mind. Our 'date' replaying over and over in my head, the sound of her laugh, the light in her eyes when she talked about something that excited her or made her happy, the blush that touched her cheeks when I dared to flirt, but most of all the way my name rolled so sweetly off her tongue. She made me feel things, things that I had thought I'd never feel again. And while there was no guarantee that it would work out between us, it had still been nice to find someone who didn't seem terrified or nervous in my presence, who didn't know the terrible things I had done and seemed to like me. I had thought about texting her once or twice after asking Natasha to show me how and what to do in case I needed to text someone in the future, but couldn't have if I wanted too. It was too dangerous while on a mission, the message could be intercepted and she would be in real danger then and it also would have put Natasha and I at risk. I knew that I was doing the right thing, even if I didn't like it.

The Quinjet landed right on time, just as the sun began to set, Steve waiting for us on the tarmac as I stepped off the jet, slinging my duffel over my shoulder. Steve was always waiting for me when I returned from a mission that he didn't come on, coming forward to hug me as if he hadn't seen me only a week and a half ago and missed me.

"How did it go?" Steve asked when he finally released me from his embrace.

"It went fine. Base was destroyed, Nat got all the intel. No one left behind to tell the tale," I shrugged. "Job well done if you ask me. I'm eating, hitting the shower, and then going to bed."

I patted Steve on the shoulder, pausing to high five Natasha and then went into the compound, stopping in the kitchen to see what was available in the fridge for me to eat. I settled for left over pizza even though I had no idea how old exactly it was, chowing down on two slices before taking a long hot shower. I climbed into my bed after toweling off, appreciating the firm, but soft mattress which was much better than the cot I had been sleeping on for the past week and a half and tried to sleep.

And failed miserably.

I slid out of bed after an hour passed of staring up at my ceiling, pulling on my jeans, blue Henley, leather jacket and boots; walking out of the compound.

I took Steve's motorcycle, something he had given me permission to do whenever I chose, and drove into the city, parking it safely before setting off on foot. I told myself that I was just taking a walk, that I just needed some fresh air, but of course found myself across the street from Jade's apartment building ten minutes later, barely five blocks from where I had parked Steve's bike, looking up to where I knew her apartment was. I lied to myself again convincing myself that I wasn't hoping to see her, that I was just making sure that there was nothing suspicious going on around her apartment, no threat of danger, meaning Hydra. A reckless thought of going up to her apartment crossed my mind, of knocking on her door, telling her the truth and seeing just how she'd take it. If she'd risk the danger, if she'd be willing to try. I leaned against the building behind me, shaking my head at myself. I couldn't do that and it was mostly out of the fear of rejection.