↳ 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘴 - B.BARNES • 1 •

The First Letter

Lila Laurite was completely and utterly confused.

DO NOT ENTER:-

THIS ROOM HAS BEEN BARRICADE AWAY TO PREVENT A GAS LEAK.

SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.

'You have to be fucking kidding me, Stark!' she pressed her whole body weigh against her door, desperate for the door to open.

'Uh, Lila babe, you okay?' asked Natasha, sauntering into the corridor. Lila sunk to the floornwith her head in her hands, her wavy beach like curls circulating her face.

'Don't fucking talk to me, Fucktasha.' Natasha was somewhat surprised at her comment, yet she understood the anger.

'Look, you know, i'm sorry for taking your key ca-'

Lila interrupted her. 'Oh, i'm not angry about that.'

Natasha tilted her head, startled. 'Oh?'

Lila nodded. 'I'm rather thankful, actually.'

'You what?'

'What?'

Natasha kept pointing at her and Bucky's room. 'You said-'

'I didn't say shit, Natasha.' Lila aforementioned, looking up at her with deceptive eyes.

Natasha's mouth curved into a 'o' shape, understanding what she had meant. Her eyes fell on to the sign above Lila's head, taped to the door. Fuck off, there wasn't a gas leak, someones fucking with Lila, and his name begins with Tony and ends with Stark.

'Oh, what a shame, look's like you're going to have to have more sleepovers with Barnes.'

Just like he was on cue, Bucky ambled over to where the two girls were stood. He studied the sign for a while, ripped it off of the door and went to the elevator. The two ladies exchanged a look, Natasha grabbed Lila's hand and they both ran into the elevator with him.

'Stark, wasn't it.' he enunciated, looking at the sign in disbelief. Natasha nodded, watching his forehead crease.

'There's nothing he can do, Barnes. A leak is a leak, its gonna be a week. Hey, that rhymes.'

The elevator door drew open, and Bucky stormed out and slammed the paper sign against Tony's chest. 'Stark, this isn't funny.'

Tony looked down at the sign and studied it. He gave it back to Bucky, shoving it in his fingers. 'I don't see how this effects you, Barnes, for it is Laurite's room that is affected.'

'You know why it fucking affects me.' he murmured, making only Tony able to hear.

'Go with the flow, Bucket.'

-

'First mission of the month, who's ready!' exclaimed Steve, but all he got back was a bunch of groans from the team. The spirits were always dampened when they had to deal with HYDRA, especially Bucky, since the source of his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was established and created at the heart of HYDRA.

'Natasha and Clint; you'll stay on the ground levels, find any new information or whereabouts. Bruce, Thor, Tony, you're up top, take out as many bad guys as you can, do whatever it takes to make them feel at threat. Wanda, you'll be with me, middle floors. Sam and Vision, keep lookout in the sky and around the perimeter. Let us know if any movement is seen. Any further questions?'

'What about me?' Spoke a quiet, but deep voice, standing up and flexing his arm.

'For the time being, we can't have you anywhere near HYDRA, Buck. There is too much of a risk that you could fall into their hands.' Bucky nodded, understanding. He agreed with Steve, he didn't really fancy being caught under the wing of HYDRA once more, his hands bloody and unclean.

'Stay here, spar with Laurite, talk to Nick, do whatever you want.' Steve proceeded, nodding. 'Right. All systems go. Maria will be keeping in contact with Nick, so don't be surprised if you don't hear anything back. Be free, Buck.'

Be free, Do whatever he wants. He wish he could. He longed to feel her touch, hear her screaming his name. But that was right in the back of his mind, since James Buchanan Barnes was in a state of major denial.

And that was obvious to everyone, except for himself and Lila.

-

'You stole my chicken nuggets.'

Lila was scared shitless. She thought she was in the tower alone, but apparently not.

'Stop fucking doing that!'

Bucky looked at her, pertubed. 'Doing what?'

'Scaring the shit out of me! I thought there was a mission?'

'Yeah, well I wasn't invited. You stole my chicken nuggets.' He exaggerated.

Lila looked down at her bowl of chicken. 'Ah, so I did. It's not like I give a shit about you anyway, so I don't care.'

Bucky stared at her, doubtfully. 'Keep lying to yourself. I know you're obsessed with me.'

Lila eyed him up-and-down, biting her lip as she did so. 'I guess I am. Although, I could say the same about you.'

He was concupiscent. Something happened between now and last night, which made Bucky eager to see Lila more and more, and his hatred grew rapidly for her.

Hatred?

'We still hate each other, right?' he challenged, but it came out as more of a statement than a question. Lila looked away from him and down towards her feet.

'Yeah?'

He nodded, and headed towards his room, not noticing the beaming smile that had made it's way across Lila's face.

On his bed was a piece of paper, a hand written letter, in curly italics. He sat on his bed and opened it, confused to how it had got there.

Dear Barnes,

I figured I should thank you for last night.

Truth is, in my life I have never had the opportunity to thank someone, as they would have already left me before I could do so. I'll tell you more about that another day; until our mutual hatred has been... sorted.

I thought that for the both of us expressing our feelings is tough. Hence why I am writing a letter, not in person.

When we are both faced with a threat or when we spot the object of our affection in a crowded room, our heart races. Both are two very different scenarios, but I believe that we can both relate to it with ease.

Our relationship is complex.

A mix of , behaviors, and beliefs associated with strong feelings of affection, protectiveness, warmth, and respect, yet complete and utter loathing, hate, detest, and scorn.

Hate is based on perceptions of a stable, negative disposition of persons or groups. We hate persons and groups more because of who they are, than because of what they do. Hate has the goal to eliminate its target. But, are we really trying to eliminate one another? Do we really see ourselves as a target?

I believe that we have been lying to ourselves for a long time.

And I really would like to get to know you better.

Sincerely,

Lila.

ps. i don't think you're ugly, smelly, heartless or annoying at all.

pps. its just another way to say that I am completely, and utterly, mad for you.