Of Love and Mischief (MCUxReader)

Seven

Ooof.

You bumped into something. Two large arms wrapped around yours, preventing you from falling on your butt.

Not something, someone.

You opened your eyes and followed the expanse of muscular chest, corded neck, long brown hair, shadowy defined chin, and finally, blue eyes. And there you stayed, just like that. Lost in the deepest depths of the ocean.

"Ack-hmm." The eyes cleared their throat, snapping you out of it.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry. I don't know why..." You trailed off as you looked around. You were in the hallway outside your room. The door behind the man completely open, revealing the same dark color scheme you had peaked at earlier.

His arms dropped and you took a step back.

"So, I ah, heard a commotion and thought I'd come check it out." He said in a gravelly voice.

"A commotion?"

"Yeah, it was pretty loud. A scream, followed by something shattering." He looked around you and you turned, following his line of sight to your bedroom door that was also wide open.

You walked in only to find a mess. Your comforter was cast onto the floor, and the wall your bed was facing had a huge dent in it. Looking down you saw your table lamp shattered there. Where you'd apparently thrown it. You chewed your bottom lip, you must've been sleep walking.

Great. Add that to Tony's growing "not normal" list.

"Are you okay?" You jumped. The man had followed you to your room and was now standing in the doorway.

"Ooh ahh, yeah. I must've had a nightmare. I get them sometimes. Sorry if I woke you."

"You didn't. I had actually just gotten back from a workout, and was getting ready to shower when I heard ya."

That explains his lack of shirt, you thought as you once again eyed his naked, muscular chest. It was then you noticed that his left arm was metal. He saw you notice and began to rub the metal arm with his real one, clearly uncomfortable under your gaze.

You blinked, smiling up at his face. "Sorry, again. I'm Olivia by the way."

"Yeah, Steve mentioned that you had moved in."

"Oh! You must be Frosty? But that can't be your actual name. Tony is terrible with those nicknames."

"Yeah, he is. My full name is James Buchannon Barnes. But everyone mostly calls me Bucky."

"Okay. Bucky it is then. You said you were working out? What time is it?"

Had you slept through the day? With how tired you've been you wouldn't put it past you.

"Oh, it's uh pretty late actually." He rubbed the back of his neck with his metal hand. "I like it best when the gym's empty. Do you need help with this mess? I can have FRIDAY call someone up to clean." He not so sneakily changed the subject.

"No!" You quickly replied, a little too loudly, wincing. "I've got it. Thanks though." You started walking with him back towards the hall.

"No problem. I guess if you need anything, I'm right across the hall."

"Noted, thanks again."

You went to close the door behind him, but hesitated.

"Actually, Bucky?"

He paused, looking at you over his shoulder. "Yeah doll?"

"Do you know where I can find a broom?"

***

Hot damn. A girl could get used to this.

You were currently watching Bucky, bent over digging around in a hall closet. Well, more specifically, you were currently watching his ass.

"There's got to be something...found it!" He came out with a small dustpan and brush in hand.

"Perfect, thanks!" But when you reached for it, he didn't hand it over.

"I got it doll." He started walking back towards your room.

As he squatted down to start sweeping up the glass, you took a seat on the edge of your bed, watching.

"So," he started, "nightmare?"

"Apparently. I get them often enough, but don't ask me what it was about because I can never remember them." Actually, that's not true. You definitely remembered this one.

"Damn, wish I had that problem. Forgetting, that is."

"You have nightmares?"

He tensed up and stopped sweeping. "Yeah."

"It's okay, I won't ask either. But if you ever want to talk about them, I'm here."

"Yeah, quite the coincidence don't you think? That you were given the room across from mine."

"Well, maybe Tony knew we would need the company."

"Maybe." He started sweeping again.

Okaaay. Now what?

You didn't have the chance to think up a new topic of conversation as he stood, dust pan full of broken glass.

"That should do it. Just maybe don't walk over here until someone has the chance to vacuum. I think I got it all, but you can never be too sure."

"Yeah, will do. Thanks."

"No problem doll. Maybe try to get some rest?"

"Only if you do the same." You smiled at him as he closed the door behind himself.

Sighing, you shut off the lights and threw yourself back onto your bed. Staring at the ceiling, you were quickly lost in thoughts about your first official day at Stark tower. A lot had happened, more than you ever expected. But maybe, just maybe you could see yourself building a home here. Making some friends even.

As long as they don't find out I'm slowly losing it. At that thought you felt restless, confined.

Grabbing a throw blanket out of a basket by your bookshelf, you walked over to your door and slowly opened it, so as to not make any noise. Looking across the hall you saw no light coming from the crack underneath Bucky's door. You had apparently been staring at the ceiling long enough for him to be done showering and turn in. Sneaking down the hallway, you took the stairs three floors up to the roof. Tony had brought you up here once to watch him test a new flying mechanism.

You sat down and leaned back to look up at the night sky. This high up, the city lights below were dim enough that you could just make out the stars. A cold breeze had you burrowing into your blanket.

You sat up straight, closed your eyes, and concentrated on your breathing. You had read once that meditation had exponential benefits, maybe it could give you the answer to unlocking, or relocking, your supposed powers? But the harder you tried to relax, the more your mind seemed to race.

What's the point? It takes people years to master this and I'm probably doing it completely wrong.

I'm not sure what it is you're trying to accomplish dearest. But let me assure you, you are most certainly doing it wrong.