figure you out ✓| Bucky Barnes [ENG]

0.03 || volunteers are wanted

──── ❝𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱❞ ────
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̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧.˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. ˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩

Today is friday so it's been three days since we saw Bucky at the haven. We spent- or better he spent the days making calls to prepare the funeral, while I worked in the bakery. I wanted to help him but he didn't want to put the burden on me. That was nice but even though he only grew up three years with grandma, he loved her too and it must be hard to do that all alone. I just hope he will allow himself to mourn for her at least at the funeral.

When I got home, Michael was talking to someone on the phone.

"Bucky is coming over in an hour." he says after ending the call.

My stomach made a turn. "You have his number?"I ask and point at his phone, because he looks confused.

,,No, I was talking to someone else. I just wanted to tell you before I would forget it. "

I nod and pack my baking ingredients inside the fridge.

,,I actually wanted to make a cake but I could make Muffins instead, now that he is coming over." I offer and he raises an eyebrow playfully.

"Oh so you're making muffins just for him?"

I feel the heat burning on my ears.

"What? No, I...I just thought it would be better because it wouldn't make such a mess as a cake would." I try to defend myself until I realize that he was just joking. He laughs out loud.

"Very funny"

,,Muffins are perfect" he says and gives me a melancholic smile. The feeling of security and love floats my body and I can't describe how happy I am about him having him here.

,,I missed having the smell of hot pastry in the whole house."

When we were little I baked all the time. Mom taught it to me and when she died I missed her pastry so much I tried to recreate them for so long, I ended up loving the process itself. Baking means security and stability to me. Family. It reminds me of a time when my parents were still alive and Michael was still a normal boy who didn't feel the burden to care for his little sister.

So I answer softly: "I missed having you around to try and test my pastry."

"And you never fail to astonish me with it."

When the doorbell rang an hour later, my heart made a jump.

"I'll go" Michael stood up from the couch to open the door. After a little small-talk exchange they come into the living room. I have an open kitchen, so Michael walks directly towards me to place three bottles of beer on the kitchen counter. I stop stirring my cream and look at Bucky who just appeared behind Michael. His blue eyes meet my green eyes.

"You brought beer?"

He scratched his neck. "Yeah...I thought that's what people do today."

I lift an eyebrow, confused by what he means by that. "Today? Did...did the snap get you too?"

The shock in his eyes makes me want to take said things back. The snap did get me too and I experienced people not liking talking about it.

"Yes but...nevermind." He waved the topic away but Michael was listening.

"Madison was gone after the snap. Now the age gap between us is even bigger. I look like an old man next to her.", he joked and Bucky looked back and forth between us.

"So are you two...a couple or...related in any way?", he asks carefully and slowly.

Michael laughs out loud and I'm glad I'm not the only one who got scared because of it.

"Definitely not. She is my little sister."

Bucky's face is unreadable for me when he stares me into the eyes, so I take the whisk back into my hand and continue stirring, hoping I don't blush.

"Well, then. Thanks for the beer, Bucky.", I say, realizing how pretty his name sounded pronouncing it out loud. And recieving a smile for that, was definitely the most unexpected thing for it. I felt a little tingle in my stomach and it got even bigger when he said: "It smells delicious in here."

I was thankful Michael called for him from over the couch because I sure would have stammered.

While I draw cream flowers on my cupcakes I catch myself listening to their conversation. I find out Bucky used to be a soldier as well. I think that is the moment Michael decides he is now his best friend. He ends up in a flow of talking about the navy, how he has tried different army sectors but the sea was his true home. And Bucky just quietly listens. I smile a little bit because it kinda looks like Michael found some guy on the street and now tells him his life story...which is kinda the case actually, if I think about it. However, Bucky doesn't seem to mind too much about it at the moment.

"The muffins are done. Volunteers are wanted." I say, joining them.

"Bless your pure little soul", Michael cheers and grabs one. I hold the plate to Bucky, getting a wondering look.

"A 'no' is not accepted", Michael adds with a full mouth of muffin.

I smile shyly and when he takes one, my heart makes a jump. I can't stop myself from staring when he bites into it and seeing how he slowly realizes with every chew that he likes it. His eyes widen and look into mine.

"This...is really so good. I mean... I don't know what to say except for...this is the best muffin I ever had." For a short moment we just stare each other in the eyes. I couldn't hold back a smile. He looked so pleased.

I broke eye contact first. It made me a little uncomfortable how much I cared about his opinion. Because I sure would have broken into tears if he would have told me, it was bad.

"Told ya" Michael didn't even recognize the moment between us.

"You bake often?" Bucky wants to know and I get utterly happy about the fact he wants to know more about me.

"Basically every free minute. I have a bakery near the haven."

He gives me an interested look.

"You have your own bakery? That's impressive."

I blush at his words.

"You should come visit her from time to time. Friends get free Muffins." Michael adds.

"Yeah, maybe." Bucky nods and smiles at me.

I can't believe he was the grumpy, quiet man from next door just a week ago. And now he is sitting right in front of me, trying my muffins and smiling at me with the prettiest smile I have ever seen. 

We talk till the late evening, till Bucky decides to leave. I admit I was a little disappointed when he said he would have to go and Michael didn't seem to feel different. Actually, I think he was even more disappointed about it.

"How long are you staying? Do you see each other often?" Bucky asks at the door, about to leave.

"Actually not", Michael answers for me because the heavy pressure in my chest just got back. My smile disappeared. 

"We see each other like five times a year because I'm always on the sea. I just came here to prepare for the funeral of our grandmother who just died a week ago."

Bucky looked at me, really looked at me, and for a moment I thought he could feel my pain. The pain of losing someone.

"I'm really sorry about that. For both of you."

I couldn't say anything. I just wanted Bucky to stay here because when he does, I forget about the pain in my chest. He makes Michael smile, and me, when he takes another muffin with a sorry face because he does "not want to eat them all away". If he only knew how happy it made me.

But he turns around and leaves. Michael closes the door and the only thing I can think of is: 

He forgot his muffins.