It was your day off and you were nestled in on the couch, buried under three blankets.
You had a book, your laptop, and food and tea on the table. You were completely content. Everyone else was on a mission so you could sit in the living room without being afraid that your peace would be disturbed.
At least that was what you thought, until Bucky wandered in.
‘Huh, I thought everybody was away today,’ he said surprised when he saw you.
‘I thought the same thing,’ you laughed.
‘Mind if I join you?’ He held up the book he was carrying. Your heart made a small jump.
‘Of course not.’ You smiled.
He sat down in the chair closest to your couch and began reading.
You tried to concentrate on your own book again but couldn’t help but to glance in his direction every now and then. This was the first time that you were alone with the soldier. You and Bucky hadn’t talked much since he had become part of the team. He was usually hanging around Steve and Sam, and you were way too awkward to join in on their conversations. Yet, you had still developed a small crush on him.
A lock of your hair had escaped your ponytail. You tucked it behind your ear as you glanced up to Bucky again, only to catch him looking at you too. He had finished his book.
‘Which book are you reading?’ He asked.
‘Pride and prejudice.’ You showed him the cover of your favourite book.
‘Now, that’s one I know,’ he smiled.
‘You read it?’ You asked excited.
‘No. At least not that I remember,’ he shook his head.
You were quiet for a moment, before making a decision. ‘Here. Read it. It’s one of the best books ever written.’
‘But aren’t you reading it right now?’
‘For the hundredth time yes. It’s more important to me that you get to read this masterpiece.’
He laughed when he saw your earnest expression. 'Okay. Thank you. But do know that it will probably take me a few weeks to finish it. I don’t have much spare reading time. Can you miss it for that long?’ He jokingly asked.
You opened your mouth to say that that would be all right when you got an idea. ‘Okay. There won’t be many occasions that you will hear me say something like this, but we could also watch the BBC series now instead. It is almost as good as the book.’ It was also a great excuse to spend more time together.
'Sure. Why not.’ He smiled. You really loved that smile.
'Jay! It’s already on my laptop so I don’t have to move,’ you beamed.
He sat down next to you as you set up de laptop. 'Wait it would be nicer if we could see it on the big screen,’ you suddenly realized and your shoulders drooped.
‘Do you not want to stand up that badly?’
'It is my couch day. And on couch day, you move as little as possible.’ You said gravely.
'But if we’re going to watch this, we will need more food than what you have there.’ He guestured to your small food stack.
'That’s true, but I don’t have more, and I really don’t want to suffer the revenge of the persons whose food I would steal.’ There had been a small civil war inside the tower because of stolen food once. You were not keen on repeating history.
'I have some, and I won’t get in trouble for stealing Steve his food.’ He said with a wicked grin.
'Okay. We will leave this couch for max ten minutes, to do what we have to do. Then after that no interruptions until the series is finished!’ You said with a look at the clock.
'You take couch day extremely seriously don’t you?’ He raised an eyebrow.
'Very,’ you nodded. ‘Ten minutes are starting… now!’
Ten minutes later, the opening tune was playing and you were both covered in blankets with an enormous amount of food stacked in front of you.
Bucky loved the series. He laughed way too hard at all of your favourite parts and spoke with only admiration about Lizzy. He didn’t know the story, so he was outraged when mister Wickham’s true nature was revealed.
You yourself looked more at Bucky than the screen, but you knew it so well that you could’ve talked along anyway. Seeing Bucky’s reactions as he saw the story for the first time, was way more entertaining.
The day would have been truly perfect, if it hadn’t for your hair.
You wiped your hair out of your face with an annoyed huff and made a new ponytail for the thousandth time that evening. Your hair did not cooperate with you today. You heard a soft chuckle next to you.
'What are you sniggering about?’ You squinted your eyes at Bucky.
'Nothing.’ He said with a straight face.
'Ugh. I should just make a braid but I need mirror for that.’
Yes. You were a highly successful superhero. An Avenger. And you could not make a braid without a mirror. It was not within your skillset. Nat had teased you about it a few times already.
'And I assume you’re not going to get up for a mere mirror?’ Bucky was laughing at you.
'Nevah!’
You watched on but you cracked at the point that Lady Catherine de Bourgh came to visit Longbourn.
'Bucky give me your arm.’
'What?’ The confusion on his face was priceless.
'Your arm. It’s shiny. Maybe it will work.’ You said as if it was the most obvious thing, while making grabby hands at him.
'I don’t think it will.’ He grinned but scooted closer to you anyway.
He was now so close you could feel the heat radiating from him. You inspected his arm to see if there was one particular reflective piece. But soon you had to admit that he was right, this wasn’t going to work.
You let out a huge sigh.
'There, there. Everything will be alright.’ He chuckled and patted you head. Making even more of a mess out of your hair.
You glared at him but it only made him laugh harder.
'Well then. If you find this so amusing. You fix it,’ you huffed.
'Oh sure.’
'Wait. You know how to braid?’ You asked surprised.
'Yeah. I might be a bit rusty but it should be alright.’ He shrugged.
'Then I lay my hair in your hands.’
He suddenly pulled you on his lap, making your heart stutter in your chest.
‘This makes it easier.’ He mumbled close to your ear, sending a shiver down your spine.
You were glad he couldn’t see your face, for you were sure that it had turned very red.
You tried your best to focus on the series but you couldn’t.
The feeling of his fingers gently brushing through your hair was way too distracting.
You were suddenly glad that you had forced yourself to wash your hair that morning.
‘No wonder it keeps escaping the ponytail,’ you heard him mumble.
‘Huh what?’
‘Oh, your hair is very soft,’ he sounded a bit embarrassed.
‘Thanks,’ you were now mumbling as well.
You felt how he started braiding from scratch a few times before he was content with the result.
'Finished.’ He said after a while. Quiet pride shining through in his voice.
You inspected the braid with your fingers. Not a single strand was out of place.
'Thanks.’ You twisted to smile at him, inwardly mourning the fact that you now had to leave his lap.
'No problem.’ He chuckled and hugged you close, resting his chin on your shoulder.
You didn’t leave his embrace for the remainder of the evening.
God, you loved couch day.