Just a few things from the author:
I do NOT write smut. I'm tired of getting comments saying "robbed" on chapters that are my version of leading up to it. I don't feel comfortable writing it, so I ask kindly not to leave comments that put down my type of writing.
Besides that! Thank you for choosing to read my story, and I hope you enjoy it! I read through each and every one of your comments and love to see your thoughts and feelings throughout❤️
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Bucky ran down the hall at full speed after hearing his "lady friend" stir as he threw on some boxer shorts to semi-cover himself.
Usually, they were dressed and out the door, before he even had the chance to wake up. That's how he liked it: no awkward morning-after conversation or tense trying-to-show-them-out small talk.
Yet again, not all girls knew how one-night stands worked, and this one seemed to be one of those individuals. Katie? Karlie? Kristen? Her name started with a K and was an easy one, but he couldn't even remember it if someone held a knife to his throat. All the more reason to not be there when she woke up.
But he wasn't fast enough...
He heard the door of his room creak open and a tired voice say his name. He did what he had to do. He saw the light on in the bathroom, the closest door to him, and without hesitation, turned the knob and slipped in before she could see him in the hall.
"Buck-!" Y/N started at almost being bulldozed by the brunette stone wall of a man.
"Shh! Shhh!" he hushed, throwing his hand over her mouth and grabbing her arm, unconsciously pulling her into him, trying to quiet her.
"Hmph, hmm!" she mumbled into his palm, trying to push away but being in a position that kept her from getting the upper hand.
"I know. I know. I'll explain in a second, but for now, I need your help," he said, staring from the bathroom door to her eyes and pleading with his own for her cooperation. She rolled those Y/E/C eyes of hers and stopped fighting him.
He nodded and slowly pulled away his hand. He took in their predicament and realized that she had just gotten out of the shower... The only thing keeping them from skin-to-skin contact was the towel she had tightly wrapped around herself.
He pulled away suddenly, embarrassed, and tried to play off the fact that he was struggling to look away from her. But he had other issues ahead. He cleared his throat before avoiding eye contact and turned back to the door.
"Uh, so I had a girl over last night-"
"As you usually do," Y/N chuckled dryly under her breath. Bucky watched her ruffling her wet hair in the mirror as she returned to her routine. Seemingly unbothered about the little clothing she was wearing or Bucky's sparse amount of clothing.
This wasn't anything too big of a deal, considering they had lived together for the past two years. They had seen each other in vulnerable states before, as roommates tend to do without meaning, but this seemed a little more intimate in the small space.
"Ha ha," he faked laughed, sending her a bitch face in the mirror before backing up and distancing himself from the door. "But really. She won't leave, and I think she's looking for me."
"What? A girl looking for something more than a one-night stand. Who would have thought?" she sassed, pausing in her motion for a second to send him a "you're joking, right?" look.
"OK, usually I'm all for your sarcasm and sass, but with it being directed toward me, I-"
"99% of the time, it's directed toward you," she interrupted. "Get to the part where you explain why you just came crashing in while I was in the shower," she went on, grabbing product for her hair.
"Why was it unlocked?" he jeered back with a raised eyebrow.
"I never lock it," she shrugged, still focused on her routine. "In case you need something and I can't reach the door. Not like there isn't a shower curtain hiding the goods."
"Fine," he sighed before holding his breath and hearing the tired footsteps grow closer, noticing them pause every other step as if searching for him. "I think she might be a little attached. She started getting a touch clingy last night."
"How much of a touch?"
"Mmm, I'd say a hint of a stalker, marry me, and have all of my kids kind of touches..." he mumbled, bashfully scratching his neck.
"Bucky..." she sighed, stopping her actions and rubbing a temple. "You really-"
"Listen! She was completely normal up until, you know? We were-"
"I get it," Y/N cringed at the thought, putting a hand up to stop his sentence.
"I messed up. Sue me."
"Don't tempt me. I'll file as an emotionally distressed roommate who has to maneuver around situations like this weekly."
"Now, I wouldn't say weekly, but-"
"What do you want from me, B?"
"Just don't let her know I'm here..."
Perfect timing, a knock sounded at the bathroom door, causing them to both freeze and turn to it.
"Wade? Wade, are you in there?" the voice came through the wood slab.
Y/N turned to Bucky, now sharing her own bitch face and mouthing, 'really, Wade'?
It was his night-out name, so girls didn't look him up and find his multi-million-dollar business and try something stupid. He didn't use it as often as he used to, but lately, it had been making a comeback.
He waved her on and clapped his hands together silently in prayer, begging her to help him.
"Oh, you so owe me for this," she whispered before turning slowly to the door. She took a deep breath before saying, in her best 'manly' voice, "Wade isn't here. He had a family emergency and had to head out for a while."
"Oh, I didn't realize- Who-Who are you?" the mystery girl said in a high-pitched valley tone.
"Uh," she hesitated, coming up with a decent lie. "I'm Steve. I'm Bucky's roommate," she thought on the spot, turning to see the jackass of a friend trying his best to stifle a laugh. "I'll kill you," she mouthed, making him straighten and push back the next laugh, but not the smile covering his face.
"Well, Steve, do you know when he'll be back?" she asked on the other side.
"Not sure, doll. Sounded kind of bad," she clasped her mouth, trying to keep it together, and took a quick breath. "I wouldn't be surprised if he's gone for multiple days."
"Really?"
"He's a busy man, doll," Y/N replied, clearing her throat to tap into the low, manly voice again.
"Um, OK." She sounded disappointed. "Well, I'm going to leave my number on the table. Can you tell him to call me when he gets back?"
"Sure thing," Y/N answered, shaking her head with her eyes closed.
"Thanks, Steve!" the clearly clueless girl responded, walking away and going back to Bucky's room.
Bucky finally spoke up once they heard the bedroom door shut. "That was impressive," he laughed, coming closer to the door and leaning an ear on it. Y/N sent him another glare through the mirror before smacking him hard on the shoulder.
"Ow!"
"You owe me twenty bottles of my choice of drinks and my choice of movies for the next 50 movie nights for that," she pointed, grabbing a cream and scrunching it into her hair. "And I'm demanding all the sweets, snacks, and take-out too."
"With that performance? I'll give it to you," he chuckled again. "Have you been waiting to pull a Steve impression out of your ass or something? Cause that was great... Doll," he exaggerated the pet name.
"If she's as intense as you say she is and sees you have a female roommate, she'll likely kill me just to make sure there's less competition. Plus, Steve's here all the time. He might as well be our third roommate."
"Wow. She's an intelligent, beautiful, sass monster. Who knew?" Bucky teased.
"We all did," Y/N answered promptly. "Now, it's time for you to hide somewhere else."
"She hasn't left yet. I have to wait," he said, putting his ear back against the door.
He took a second to watch Y/N do her routine from the angle. Her hair was still wet but more so damp. Giving it the careless yet captivating texture to make herself look as naturally beautiful as she always had.
She didn't have makeup on, which wasn't rare, but it was his favorite look on her. Her skin had a nice glow thanks to the steam and facial products she used mindfully. Bucky knew when she had just finished one of her self-care routines because all her products had a smell that made his eyes roll in the back of his head. But for some reason, all of this was really standing out to him right now, and there was this weird, warm feeling in his chest that he didn't recognize.
"Great. I need to get dressed and head to my private session. I can't wait around-"
"You have a class today?"
"A one-on-one with Justin. He asked if I could do a private session to work on some therapeutic stretches with him. He's got some weird work competition thing coming up where they do an Olympic night for charity, and apparently, his knees 'aren't what they used to be.' Although, I wouldn't put it past him to be making all that up just to have another one on one." She pursed her lips, thinking about it.
"I don't like that Hammer guy," Bucky shook his head while standing straighter and looking her in the eyes. "His intentions are that of a boy, Y/N/N. Therefore, you can't trust it."
"You realize you're calling out your own species."
"Yes, but I know the differences between a man and a boy. Justin Hammer is a boy. A schoolboy with much to compensate for."
"Valid. However, I'm not interested in the least bit, so none of his daydreams will come to fruition."
"But Y/N/N-"
"I got it, Buck. He won't do anything I don't want him to do," she reassured him, stopping her routine to turn toward her roommate. "Also, I need the money. I think I can handle being overly flirted with for one hour to get an extra $150."
"I'll give you $250 not to go," Bucky countered, folding his arms with a taunting smile.
"We've been over this, B. It's my job. I have to pay the rent somehow," she said, mocking his posture.
"$350?" he asked with a hopeful grin. When she just blinked at him, he huffed a sigh. "You don't have to pay rent. I've told you that multiple times. Bonuses of being the best friend of the person who owns this flat."
"You know I can't do that-"
"I know, I know. Miss. Independent, I have to make my own way, can't take handouts, city girl." He rolled his eyes and slumped his back against the counter as he watched her return to getting ready.
"Hey. I like being able to fend for myself in this world. Makes me not feel helpless."
"You're not helpless, sugar. Never have been. Never will be. Everyone who's met you knows this. I'm just saying I love to help where I can," he smiled in the cheesiest way he could.
"You already help by making me pay an eighth of the rent instead of half," she laughed. "Which, by the way, I'm still not happy about."
"If you try to pay me more, I'll make sure it comes back to you in double."
"Yes, I figured that out the first five times I tried it."
The door down the hall slammed, showing K-girl was leaving.
"Shh, shh, shh," Bucky hushed, going back to the door and leaning an ear to it again.
"OK, Steve. I left a note! Tell him I'm excited to do this again," she shouted through the door, showing she was the kind of person who spoke louder and slower when someone said they were deaf.
The strength of her voice sent Bucky ambling back quickly.
"Uh, yeah! For sure!" Y/N said lowly again. Bucky chuckled without being able to hold back and got a swat on the arm again for his childish behavior.
"Jesus," he grunted softly, careful not to be too loud. She shot a look.
The footsteps headed to the front, and eventually, they heard it shut, showing she was gone.
"Coast clear?" Bucky asked.
"I hope so for your sake."
Bucky slowly opened the door and stuck his head out ever so subtly. He did a quick back and forth down the hall and into the living room.
"All clear, soldier," he said before letting out a breath and walking out with a proud strut.
"Good," Y/N said before shutting the door behind him and effectively shutting him out of the room.
"Sassy!" Bucky said, turning and shouting at the barrier, but he couldn't hold back his smile.
"Diva!" she shouted back.
Bucky laughed, shaking his head and turning back to his room. Halfway down the hall, he turned and looked back at the door, his head twisted to the side in thought...
"Huh..." he hummed as he walked backward and slowly entered his room, staring at the bathroom door until his own shut.