Exhibition of Future Technologies - 2
Pairing: 40s!Bucky Barnes x enhanced!reader
Summary: Bucky meets the girl of his dreams the day before he ships out again and she holds a mystery about her that he can’t resist.
Warnings: fluff, like a buttload of fluff, lil bit of almost sexy and kissy kissy so that whole 18+ thing and all that
Word Count: 2.695
A/N: whoops my fingers slipped lmao I’m not sorry for it though. Wrote this in about two hours with little proof reading so I hope you enjoy the fluffy desperate mess that are these characters. I absolutely adore them
Masterlist
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Bucky had siked himself up for this moment for three days now. He’d tried a couple times already but he couldn’t even build up the confidence to step round the corner into the hall. He’d done his pep talk, Steve gave him his own pep talk and now he was stood in the hallway peering through the window trying to get a glimpse of Dr Banner’s new assistant.
“I’m not the same man I used to be. What if she doesn’t like who I am now?” he had been pulling at his hair as he paced across his room and Steve and Sam sat on his bed. The two men looked at each other then back at Bucky with bored looks, the man was on repeat for three days and they were about to shove him into that lab themselves.
“I think we’re glossing over the fact this girl somehow figured out time travel, or possibly stole Tony’s device,” Steve rolled his eyes at Sam, extensive background checks had been done before she was hired. Bruce had been, subtly, questioned about her character and could only say positive things. For the moment, how she was in 1943 and present day was not the biggest worry as of this second. Bucky’s biggest worry was how she would react to him, it was whether or not she would even remember him, remember the day they had.
“Sam would you quit it! This is the love of his life, the girl who got away, she’s his Doll!” Steve stood from his seat and walked towards Bucky, holding his shoulders with a firm grasp. “You got this bud, go in there. Go and get your girl and for the love of god. Don’t. Let. Her. Get. Away again!” With each word Steve shook Bucky slightly before he finished with a nod of his head and shoved Bucky towards the door.
Bucky was racking his hands through his hair and opening the door to the lab. He would not let his Doll get away from him again. He walked slowly through the main area of the lab towards the office at the back that was hidden away. That’s when he saw her, sitting on the stool with papers and books spread out around her laptop which she was currently scrolling through. She had Bucky breathless, he stood by the wall that separated the office from the main area of the lab with his arms loose at his sides and his mouth agape. It was 100% her.
“Doll?” he whispered out, frozen in his spot. Y/N spun her head around and sucked in a breath when she saw the man in the doorway.
He didn’t look much different she thought, she expected him to have long hair, for his shoulders to be tense and his eyes tired and pained. But he wasn’t. His hair was short but slightly longer on the top like it had been in ‘43, he even had that little loose bit of fringe that refused to sit with the rest of his hair. His body was relaxed, his face clear and tanned. She wondered if he remembered her, or if maybe he called everyone Doll now, maybe she wasn’t so different.
Y/N had to keep her composure, she couldn’t let him know her dirty little secret, she couldn’t risk it. So she smiled shyly, stood from her stool and took a step towards him, sticking her hand out to shake.
“You must be Bucky, I’m Y/N, Dr Banner’s new assistant,” he shook her hand gently and she sat back in her seat.
“How do you-?”
“Well, the metal hand is one give away, I’ve also seen pictures, there’s some in Steve’s office,” she ticked something off on a piece of paper and smiled at him again. Bucky nodded his head and rubbed his hand over his jaw, this wasn’t exactly the romantic reunion he was hoping for, maybe she didn’t remember him. “Are you looking for Dr Banner?”
“Uhh, yea,” Bucky took a step further into the room as she stood again and gathered some papers, walking towards the photocopier. “He told me to pop round so,”
“Oh, well he’s at lunch with Tony at the moment. He should be back in ten minutes or so though if you wanted to stick around, or I can tell him you stopped by,” she kept her attention on the task of photocopying the graphs and analysis notes she’d made. This was too formal for her liking, he didn’t remember her.
“Is it okay if I wait?” Bucky said standing in the middle of the room, she glanced at him and nodded as she walked past and stood in front of her laptop. “What are you doing?”
“Some weather analysis actually,” she smiled to herself and kept her head down, “I’m testing to see how much Sam’s wings can take in extreme weather. The coldest of cold in winter, warmest of warms in summer sort of thing.”
Bucky’s ears perked when she mentioned winter and summer, what if she did remember him? He had to test this. “That sounds pretty interesting, he’ll probably be pleased to know his suit can withstand any season.” Y/N heard the smile in his voice and the small step he took. What if he does remember her?
“Do you have a preferred season Bucky?” she asked peering at him quickly before turning back to her screen. Bucky tried to hold back the smile that spread across his face, biting the inside of his cheeks to prevent it from getting any wider.
“I do actually,” he looked towards the door and then back to her, taking another small step towards her.
“What is it?”
“Spring.”
“And why’s that?” she bit her bottom lip to suppress her own smile.
“I like what it represents,” he stood right behind her now, close enough to touch his hands hovered over her back, “coming out of the dark someone once told me,” he smiled, she turned to look at him over her shoulder with a small smile.
“The lines at ice cream parlors are always shorter as well,” she said, her smile widened, Bucky breathed out a laugh as he pressed his forehead against hers and held her face in his hands.
“I knew it was you Doll, I can’t believe you’re here.” She held his wrists and closed her eyes briefly. “How are you here?” He whispered quietly, she opened her eyes and tried to blink back the water in her eyes as she took a step back out of his grip.
“I shouldn’t - I stayed too long. I shouldn’t have - I’m so sorry Bucky, I’m so sorry.” This was wrong, this was so very very wrong. She fucked up, she fucked up so bad why did she have to experiment with her powers why couldn’t she just be happy with how she was. She took another step back as he took one forward. God but she loved that day she spent with him so much she knew she would do the exact same thing over and over again if given the choice.
“Don’t, please don’t apologise for that day Doll,” he reached out and brushed his fingers over the back of her hand, “how is this possible though?” his voice was quiet and soft, not wanting to frighten her. Y/N took her hand away from his and curled it into a fist, she clapped her fists together and in a small blast of light she was gone from where she stood.
“They call me a jumper, well people with my powers.” Y/N said from behind him now, he spun around, his eyes were wide in shock. “It was an accident, I was running late and then all of a sudden I’d gone back five minutes and didn’t miss my train.” She fidgeted with her hands, looking down at her feet. “Then I started experimenting, seeing how much I could do, how far back I could go. I haven’t gone forward, I don’t want to see the future, but the past,” she looked up at the ceiling, a smile breaking out on her face, “it just fascinates me, and I had this dress from Halloween so I thought I’d see if I could go back further than my own timeline, and I did.”
Bucky shook his head in amazement. It made sense, it made perfect sense and here she was in front of him proving it to her. He felt like she was meant to go back and meet him, like it was fate that she ended up at that fair. Bucky moved toward her and took her hands in his own causing her to look at him. He smiled at her, that toothy smirk she had imprinted in her brain from their day out.
“I shouldn’t have talked to you, I didn’t mean to I promise. I just - I saw the posters, I wanted to see the show. Then you were stood next to me and I recognised you and I just. I wanted to talk to you, wanted to know if the stories were true and,” she let out a laugh as he watched her, “you’re definitely not a womaniser and Steve is right to call you a giant nerd.” Y/N squeezed her eyes shut, “please don’t tell anyone Bucky, please they can’t know.”
Bucky ran his fingers through her hair and pulled Y/N into his chest. She pleaded for him to keep her secret, ‘they can’t know’ she kept repeating.
“I won’t,” his fingers were tangled in her hair and his vibranium arm tightened around her waist, “I promise I won’t, I’m just so fucking thankful you’re here Doll.” His breath shook as he spoke and she pulled away and looked up at him. Steve’s words ran through his brain at that moment, don’t you dare let her get away, he told himself. So he didn’t, he cupped her face and he kissed her like his life depended on it, to him, it did.
And she kissed him back. She wrapped her hands around the collar of his shirt and she pulled him against her. His arms gripped her waist, they pulled at her shirt, moved up her back and back down and squeezed her hips. She pulled him down further by his neck as he licked at her lip, smiling as she opened her mouth slightly immediately at his request. Bucky choked back a whimper as his tongue explored her mouth, she tasted the same, he noted. Bitter with a touch of sweetness, he knew what it was now though, caramel latte, but he liked to believe that sweetness was still just her.
They heard the door open and Tony’s voice immediately sounded throughout the lab. Y/N pushed Bucky away, she straightened her shirt and turned back to her laptop while he ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed his hand down his face, trying to compose himself.
“We bought you some leftovers. Hello Barnes, what brings you to our neck of the woods? Here to meet Banners lovely new assistant?” Tony dropped the bag of leftovers next to her on the table and smiled brightly at Bucky who shoved his hands in his pocket.
“Bruce said I should pop by,” he muttered out, his eyes darting between Y/N, Tony and Bruce.
“I did, wanted to introduce you to Y/N, thought you two might hit it off,” Bruce smiled innocently between the two of them, “but I suppose you two have already met, damn.”
“Uh, yea. I should get going, training.” Bucky nodded before bidding a small farewell to the two men, giving a small smile to Y/N before darting out the door.
“How’s the flying car coming along Tony?” Bucky heard Y/N say as he closed the door and walked back to his room laughing to himself.
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It was nearing eight when Y/N walked out of the lab with her jacket on, ready to go to sleep as soon as she got home.
It was nearing eight as Bucky leaned against the wall in the hallway waiting for her to round the corner towards the elevators.
She let out a yelp as soon as she felt arms wrap around her waist and pull her into their chest.
“Shush, geez Doll it’s just me,” Bucky laughed into the back of her neck as he lowered her back to the ground and spun her round to face him.
“What are you doing here?” she laughed at him, looking around to make sure they were alone. They’d just met, well, that’s what the team thought. If they saw Bucky and Y/N this close after only having just met they’d be some questions.
“Thought I could take you out for a late snack, if you want,” he bit his lip and let go of her hips, taking a small step back. “I wanted to tell you something as well.” She hummed an acknowledgment, finding his hand when he didn’t respond straight away. “I’m not - I’m not the same man I was in ‘43 Y/N. I need you to know that before I take you out, before whatever happens happens. I’m damaged goods and I’m recovering but I’m never going to be that man again,” Bucky rushed his words out, watching his fingers play with hers nervously.
“Bucky, I only knew that man for less than 24 hours,” she brushed her fingers over his jaw, squeezing his hand in reassurance, “how about that late night snack, we can properly get to know each other.”
Bucky leaned into her touch, he kissed her palm, held her wrist as she placed small pecks on her finger tips. “Still got me wrapped around your finger though,” he smirked, leaning in and kissing her softly. And again with more force, again with more passion, a little bit longer each time until she was pulled against his chest, her arms in his hair and his hands slipping up her back underneath her shirt. They both laughed and giggled as they continued to kiss and make their way towards the elevator. He pressed her against the door next to the buttons and brushed his lips across her jaw and pressed them behind her air.
“I’ve got snacks in my room,” he breathed out as the doors opened and they stepped in, bodies still attached to each other. Y/N nodded against his cheek and Bucky’s hand moved frantically to find the button that would take them to his floor as she pulled him down for another kiss.
“Geez Y/N,” Bucky breathed out pulling her out of the elevator and walking backwards down the hall, “Doll, I’m never letting you go,” he paused in front of his door, opening it and pulling her in after him.
“Please don’t,” she whispered against him. Bucky ran his hands down her side, he rested his forehead on her shoulder and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He waited a goddamn lifetime for this girl and he was done waiting. He used to think she was the one that got away but here she was, in his arms, kissing his shoulder.
“Luckiest man in the world,” he breathed out holding her tightly. Bucky hoped she knew just how much she meant to him. He hoped she knew just how much that he loved her from the second he promised to let her drive her flying car. Maybe one day he’d tell her. Maybe one day he’d tell her that the way she talked about Spring is something that helped him step out of his own darkness. Maybe one day he’d tell her how happy he was when he saw her sitting in that lab, when he found her again.
Today he was just happy he got his girl, got his Doll and she wanted him as well, and maybe he wasn’t going to tell her just yet but I can promise you that he was going to show her. He was not letting her go this time.
His jumper, his Doll.
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