Bucky Barnes
It was well past midnight. Normally most of the Avengers were up late but the ones who were sleeping at the Avengers tower that night, were all out cold before eleven. You were pretty certain that you were the only one up, the whole tower was dead silent, which only ever happens when everyone's asleep. Normally the whole tower was always loud, something was always happening and messes were constantly being made.
Since the tower was silent and you were pretty sure everyone was asleep, you built up the courage to run out of your room to get something to drink. Was it a big deal to get something to drink in the middle of the night? No. Was it a big deal for you to run out of your room without an ounce of makeup on and risking someone seeing you? Yes.
Not one of the Avengers, or anyone, has ever seen you without your normal glam on. Makeup, jewelry, fabulous clothes, perfect nails, not even your hair was ever messy. You're always glammed up and looking fabulous around everyone, even if it was a lazy day.
Currently, you were not glammed up. You were wearing joggers, an oversized t-shirt that said, "Babette ate oatmeal", from your favorite tv show Gilmore Girls. Your hair was being pushed back by a thin headband. Your bangs were sticking up from behind the headband. Your hair, which was only a little above your shoulders, had pieces sticking in different angles. It looked like you had rolled across your rug for several minutes, causing your hair to look like you had just survived a tornado.
Your face was scrubbed clean and smelled like lavender from your nighttime face wash, not a single drop of makeup was on your face. Your contacts had came out hours ago, your huge square shaped glasses were now resting on your nose. You didn't even know if the Avengers knew you wore glasses, they never saw you wear them after all. You had a couple hair ties on your wrist but nothing jewerly wise.
You looked like how you did every night, after you went to your room for the night and no one else saw you until morning.
You had made it safely to the kitchen, all the lights in the tower were off and the kitchen was being illuminated by the city lights from the floor to ceiling windows in the kitchen. You didn't fall while reaching for your favorite water bottle on one of the top shelves, you didn't understand how everyone seemed to forget that everyone on the team wasn't six feet tall. You always had to climb on top of the counter to get cups, whereas people like Tony, Steve and Bucky only had to simply lift an arm.
You flavored your water by putting cucumbers in your drink, it tasted good and it detoxes your body. You shoved a straw down the hole in the lid and turned to head back to your room, when the lights in the kitchen suddenly flicked on.
You jumped and one of your arms flung up to cover your face, your other hand still clutching your water bottle.
"What're you doing?" A voice to which you recognized as Bucky's caused your heart rate to accelerate. His voice came from behind you and you refused to turn to look at him, he was probably staring at the back of your messy hair. Your chest clenched from anxiety of what he might be thinking right now.
"What're you doing?" You threw the question back at him.
"What're you doing?" He repeated his question, refusing to answer yours. You inwardly groaned.
"What're you doing?" Maybe if you annoyed him he would leave.
"Y/n! I asked you first."
"Second's the best, sorry I don't make the rules." This time he groaned, and you could hear him taking a couple steps towards you, so you took a couple steps forward.
"I couldn't sleep." He stated, his voice was closer this time. "Your turn."
"I wanted something to drink, see? Nothing out of the ordinary, now if you excuse me-" You were cut off when he suddenly ran in front of you, you covered your face with both arms and looked downward. "Bucky!"
"Why're you covering your face." He sounded so innocent and sweet, your heart clenched and a blush tinted at your cheeks. You shrugged but that wasn't good enough for him. "C'mon, let me see your face."
You shook your head.
"You're not wearing makeup, I know you aren't. I want to see your face without makeup, for once." When he got no response from you, he pushed again. "C'mon, Y/n, please?"
"Bucky...no." You shook your head and he stepped closer, you could feel his body heat coming from his chest and at the same time you could feel the coolness radiating off his metal arm. The mixture felt nice, but you tried not to focus on that.
"I show my arm around you. I don't hide that from you, so you shouldn't hide your face from me. It's not fair." You kicked yourself mentally, you knew that was true. You could always try to run but you knew he had quick reflexes and could stop you before you even moved an inch.
You started to lower your arms from your face, your nose scrunched up a little and a blush covered your cheeks when you saw him looking at you. Even your lips formed into a pout at showing your real face to him for the first time. Not even your best friends, Natasha and Wanda had seen you without makeup on yet. They've seen you with little makeup on, but never no makeup.
"You look like a doll." He stated, and you made a face.
"Excuse me?"
"You look like a doll whenever you wear all that makeup," You still looked confused so he continued. "You're always dolled up all the time, you always look pretty, it's just you always look....pretty."
You paused, twisting your lips. "Is that a compliment?"
"Yeah." He nodded. "It's just you always look pretty, like a delicate doll. It's not a bad thing, it's just...you never show your real beauty. Your true beauty. I think you're beautiful with or without makeup but remember, you don't need to wear it constantly."
"You're confusing me." You paused, before you narrowed your eyes slightly and got defensive. "Wait, so if I wear makeup, all of a sudden I'm not beautiful? I can't wear makeup and be beautiful? I'm not wearing makeup for other people, I'm wearing it for myself."
"Hey, hey, hey. I never said that!" He defended himself, putting his hands up slightly. "If you felt beautiful all the time you wouldn't feel the need to wear makeup all the time. Even when you're doing nothing, or going to the gym, hell, whenever you go to Walmart. You don't need to look like a Kardashian whenever you laze around, workout or go get toilet paper. There's nothing wrong with getting dolled up, but at least know that you don't have to always be so glamorous. It's okay."
You took a deep breath and the scowl on your face faded away.
"Okay, well..." You tried to find some excuse but you came up empty handed.
"Do you think we're going to judge you?" Bucky raised an eyebrow. "Tony walks around here singing in the worst voice ever. Scott wears Captain America underwear and makes sure everyone knows it. Sam does stupid shit all the time and laughs it off. Wanna know something about Steve? He has to take his pants all the way off and put them on the other side of the bathroom every time he takes a shit."
You laughed and Bucky smiled.
"Nobody around here judges each other. We live together, work together, spend nearly every second of every day together. We're a family, and family's don't judge each other."
"I mean...I guess you're kinda right..." You mumbled under your breath, letting your arms drop to your sides as you uncrossed them.
"Kinda?" He quirked an eyebrow and you smiled a little.
"Fully right." You corrected and he grinned.
A moment of silence passed and you awkwardly sipped on your cucumber water.
"Well, you look tired." You narrowed your eyes and nearly choked on your water when he startled you. "Get to bed, Y/n. I'll see you in the morning."
"G'night Bucky." He nudged your shoulder when you passed him, a smirk tinting at his lips.
"Bucky! Bucky! Bucky!" You bolted around the corner into the lobby of the tower, where Bucky stood talking to someone. He whipped around when he heard you, grinning at the sight of you bouncing up and down on the heels of your feet as you gained his attention.
"Tada!" You spun around and showed off your outfit of the day. You weren't as dolled up as normal because it was a lazy day with nothing to do. You were wearing leggings, a blue sweater and fuzzy socks. You only had on one piece of jewelry, which was a simple long necklace from American Eagle.
Once you turned back to face him, he saw that your hair was flat ironed and had a headband pulling it back a little, but your bangs were out in front of the headband. Your makeup was simple, he could tell you were wearing foundation, blush and eyeliner but that was it. You didn't have your fake eyelashes in, or bronzer bolding your cheeks, even your eyebrows were left normal.
"Well, it's a start right?" You grinned, flashing your cheerful smile up at Bucky. "I've decided to not always wear as much makeup as I normally do when I'm at home doing nothing, because that's pointless and a waste of very expensive makeup! But, I'll still get dolled up and glamorous when I go places besides the grocery store, or gas station, you know? Progress!"
He simply nodded in agreement, still admiring how beautiful you looked. You giggled and jumped on your heels when you saw Steve come out of the elevator. You said something about how you were going to go show Steve, before you pranced away.
Leaving Bucky in awe.