READERS POV
"Hey Stark I need a hand!" I hear Bucky yell out pulling me from my daydream. I glance from my project up at him and see him staring at me with annoyed look on his face.
"What'd I do?" I ask as I raise an eyebrow.
"You? Nothing; but 'somebody' used an EMP on my arm and now," He lifts the metal appendage up and shakes it. I bite my lips to keep form chuckling as I motion him over to my work station.
"Come on Barnes, I haven't got all day."
"Oh and what's more important than fixing my arm?" He asks as he slowly walks closer to me his metal arm lying limply next to his side.
"Um I do have a life outside this god forsaken tower Barnes," I say making him narrow his eyes.
Ever since my brief encounter with death Tony had insisted that I stay at Avengers tower with him until I was 100 Percent. That was like 2 months ago, now I was itching to get back to the solitude of my own house. It's not that I didn't enjoy being here with my father and of course the super soldiers from heaven; but I just didn't like the fact that I was constantly under observation. Yes I had severely hurt myself playing hero, which I will never do again, but I was healing nicely thanks to the cradle. I still had to use a leg brace to walk, which I designed myself, the original brace needed an upgrade. Okay it needed many upgrades, all of which I was happy to do.
As Bucky reaches me I go to stand up but he just pushes me back down saying, "Hey you're still healing, so sit your ass back down."
"Okay for one, don't tell me what to do; and secondly I healed a long time ago. I just need this brace to you know, uh, walk."
"Right," he says narrowing his eyes at me making me roll mine at him.
"Do you want me to fix your arm or not?" I ask folding my arms over my chest.
"Ugh, please." He replies and I nod.
"Good, off with the shirt soldier." I say making his eyes sparkle playfully. He smirks as he pulls his shirt off and tosses it onto a nearby table. Biting my lip I motion for him to sit down next to me. He purposefully rubs his leg against mine and I gulp down a breath of air. "Stop it Barnes, or I'll leave you the way you are." I chastise as I reach for a nearby tool. He pouts at me and I just roll my eyes at him.
"So, do you really have to go back?" He asks and I nod.
"Yes Barnes, I have to."
"Okay, but can't you just have someone take care of the farm for a little while longer?"
"Mikey has a life of his own you know." I say purposefully messing up making him wince. "And I'm feeling cramped." I furrow my brow as focus on his arm.
"We could always out for coffee?"
"I'm not much of a coffee drinker. Now if we were going out for a beer I might change my mind."
"You don't need to drink (Name)." He replies sternly and I pull away from his arm.
"Are you still trying to tell me what to do? If you remember that didn't exactly work out all that well the last time you did it."
"True, your teeth hurt like a son of a bitch."
"Next time you'll know not to stand between a Stark and their alcohol." I smirk as I return to fixing his arm.
"You know why I said what I did right?" He asks glancing from his arm to up into my eyes.
"Yeah," I say letting out a heavy sigh. "I know, I was just, freaking out about all the people in my house."
"You haven't drank since you been here." He says triumphantly and I scowl at him.
"Then you obviously didn't see the flask in my nightstand."
"Seriously?" Bucky says furrowing his brows in disapproval.
"Look Barnes, I like whiskey; I love the bitter taste and the way it makes me feel. I am a socially awkward person who hates to be around anyone new; so the alcohol helps me loosen up. Grant it, I did go a little overboard that night but I haven't since. I've got this."
"Okay," He says and I can tell he wants to say more but he doesn't. I let out a heavy sigh as I return to fixing his arm. We continue the next few minutes in silence before the sound of my door opening again makes me look from his arm toward it to see Steve walking towards us.
"How's Buck?" Steve says as he walks over to us.
"Unfortunately he's still an ass." I say as a smirk covers my lips.
"Damn, I was hoping you could fix that." Steve replies and I giggle.
"Hey now, you two do know I'm right here?" Bucky interjects making me shake my head.
"I didn't break it did I?" Steve asks and I slowly turn from Bucky's arm to him as I raise an eyebrow.
"You EMP'd Bucky's arm?"
"Yeah, well, we were in training."
"Good job then," I say as I try not to laugh.
The two of them continue talking and I zone them out while I finish fixing Bucky's arm. After a few minutes I pull away and say, "Done!" Bucky moves his arm around smiling at it before he says, "Thanks Stark."
"No problem, just had to fix some fuses; no big deal." I say as I toss my tools onto the table and lean back against my chair a heavy sigh escaping my lips.
"You okay?" I hear Steve ask and I nod as I shift in my seat my leg starting to throb.
"Yeah, just need some more pain pills." I respond as I force myself to stand up.
"I'll help you," Steve says his arms instantly shooting out to hold me up.
"I'm okay Steve I promise," I say as I shoo his hands away.
"So Tony told me you planned to go home tomorrow." Steve says and I nod.
"Wait? Tomorrow? I didn't know you were going back tomorrow." Bucky says a look of disappointment on his face.
"Yeah," I say shifting my weight from one foot to another. "Dad and I talked about it last night."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Bucky asks and I let out a sigh.
"I was going too, but I guess I just didn't want to say goodbye." I say as I wrap my arms around myself.
"It's not goodbye (Name), we'll still see each other." Steve says as he pulls me into a hug. I nestle my face into his chest and taking a deep breath let it out as I say, "It's definitely gonna feel different at home, now that I've gotten used to all you crazy people running around like chickens with their heads cut off."
"We'll just bring the crazy to you." Steve says and I smile as I pull away and looking up into his eyes say, "I'd like that."
"What are you three doing?" I hear a familiar voice yell out and I roll my eyes.
Speak of the devil.
"I'm hugging a life size teddy bear dad, go away!" I yell back at my dad as I pull myself back to Steve's chest.
"Ah no!" I hear him say before I feel myself be pulled away from Steve. I look over to see Tony standing there and I furrow my brow at him.
"That was rude old man,"
"Rude or not the two of you aren't happening." Tony says as he looks me in the eye. "Besides I have a surprise for you."
"Oh?" I say in anticipation. "What is it?"
"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?"
"Okay might I remind you the last time you had a surprise it was my mother."
"Yeah I recognized my mistake and if I remember correctly you two agreed to at least talk to each other."
"Only cause you made me."
"And have you ever done something you didn't want to do?"
"No," I pout as I look away from him.
"Okay so I need you to go upstairs, Pepper got you something."
"Really? Sweet!" I yell out and forgetting myself I surge forward only to stop dead in my tracks my fists clenched beside me as I try not to scream.
SON OF A BITCH!
"You okay Peanut," Tony asks and I grit my teeth and place my hands on my hips.
"No," I pause for a moment as I wait for the pain to subside. "I need drugs, but you know not the kind that makes me like them okay?" I joke as I point to Steve and Bucky.
"Okay yeah let's get you upstairs."Tony says and before he can make a move I am lifted into the air bridal style.
What the hell?
I look over to see Bucky carrying me from the room and I stare at him in shock. I can hear Tony yelling in the background tell him to put me down but he voice instantly stops. I look past Bucky to see Steve saying something to Tony and I furrow my brow. Before I have a chance to ask what they are talking about I see the elevator doors close with Bucky and I inside them. Alone. I remember Bucky taking his shirt off for me to fix his arm and I look down.
DEAR GOD!
I stare at his chest for a moment before I bite my lip and force myself to look away.
No no (Name) you mustn't touch.
I look up to see him staring at my lips causing me to bite them. My hand unconsciously reaches up and touches his cheek making him look up into my eyes. "I didn't exactly think this through, did i?" He says his eyes gazing into mine.
"Or you thought it through just enough." I say as my hand moves from his cheek to the back of his neck. Without so much as another word he leans in and right before he is able to meet my lips the damn elevator door opens to reveal Natasha and Pepper standing there staring at us with stupid smiles on their faces. I quickly pull my face away and clearing my throat say, "Um you can put me down now."
"Oh don't stop on our account." Natasha says as a smirk covers her lips making me scowl at her.
"Put me down Barnes!" I order and then I feel his grip loosen instantly and before I can fall I grip tightly to his neck holding myself up. "Dammit Barnes!" I yell out and he holds his hands up.
"You told me to put you down."
"I meant gently dammit."
"Nice upper body strength there (Name)." I hear Natasha say and I instantly release my grip making me land hard on my feet making me grit my teeth as I fight back the urge to rip people's heads off.
"Okay, that's enough you two." Pepper says and I smile sweetly at her before sticking my tongue out at Nat. "Thank you for bringing her up Bucky,"
"No problem." He says to Pepper before turning to me and winking. I am about to say something when he turns and heads back to the elevator.
Oh you smug little ass.
"So did Tony tell you?" Natasha asks and I shake my head as I watch Bucky walk back toward the elevator.
"That he had a surprise? Yeah," I reply as I slowly turn back to them.
"So you and James," Pepper says a slight smirk on her lips and I shake my head.
"No, there is no me and anyone."
"What about Steve then?" I hear Nat ask and I roll my eyes.
"Not having this conversation." I say as I start to hobble painfully away from them and toward my room.
"Oh come on (Name), I've seen the way they look at you." Nat says and I sigh inwardly.
"We all have." Pepper adds.
"Okay, how about we not talk about my love life?" I say and their eyes widen.
"So you have done something?!" Nat exclaims and I stop dead in my tracks.
"Unfortunately no, and believe me I want too. Oh how I want to just-" I pause not wanting to elaborate anymore to my dad's girlfriend. "But I just, I don't know, I remember that I would have to choose one and I just freeze. God how easy it would be if I could just be with both of them."
"Yeah well life's never easy, plus you have a dad like Tony." Nat says and I nod slowly.
"Dad would freak if I started dating either one of them. You should have seen him when Bucky picked me up and carried me up here. He looked like he would lock me in a tower like Rapunzel and throw away the key."
"Yeah well your dad can disapprove all he wants cause I think that you can do whatever you want. No matter whom you choose I will support you." Pepper says and I smile.
"Thanks Pepper, I knew I liked you." I say making us all laugh.
"Okay so seriously, I went shopping and I bought you something." Natasha says and I raise an eyebrow at her.
"Okay?" I say as I cock an eyebrow in confusion.
"Just trust me, you'll love it come on." She says and I turn from her to Pepper to see her smiling brightly.
"Why am I suddenly scared for my life?"
"Oh stop it," Pepper says as she takes my hand and leads me to my room. Every step feels like someone is stabbing me over and over again but I ignore the pain. When we reach my room Pepper sets me down on my bed before instantly reaching over to my nightstand and pulling out my pain pills hands them to me. I start at her in shock for a moment before she says, "I know you're in pain. No matter how hard you try to play tough I can tell how you feel. Also I did take care of your father for years."
"Thank you," I say as I feel my heart lift in my chest. "I wish you could have been my mom."
"I do too sweetie." She says as she wraps her arms around my neck and holds me tight. I grips tight to her as I fight the urge to cry. Not tears of sadness but tears of joy that I finally had people who actually cared about me. Pepper pats me on the back and then gives me a quick squeeze before pulling away. "While Natasha shows you what she got you I'll run and get you some water."
"Thank you!" I call after her as she leaves the room.
"Okay so without giving too much away, TADA!" Natasha says as she holds up her surprise in her hands.
"OH MY GOD!" I cry out as I fight the urge to jump up.
"See I knew you'd like it."
"Like it? Nat I love it!"
"Good, cause your gonna wear it tonight." She says as she smirks deviously at me.
"What?"
Will Continue in - Surprises