figure you out ✓| Bucky Barnes [ENG]

0.01 || Mr. always-grumpy

───── ❝ 𝗺𝗿. 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀-𝗴𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘆❞ ─────
•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧.˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. ˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩.

Waking up to a call telling you that the woman who raised you just passed away can indeed be a start to an awful day.

When I saw my Brother's name on the calling screen I actually was happy to hear from him. But as soon as I heard Michael's voice, I knew something was wrong.

''Grandma died.'', he whispered and I could imagine his sorry face. I immediately felt bad. He shouldn't be sorry about my loss, he should be mourning about our grandmother. But the big brother he was, he always felt the need to care for me and put my needs above his.

,,I'll come over to New York so we can bury her next to Dad.''

I wasn't able to say anything.

,,Maddie, are you still here?''

,,I'm here'', I assure him quietly. He sights.

''I will be there as soon as possible. Please take care.''

The day at work was a disaster. I was supposed to finish the birthday cake for Mrs. Darcy's son but I messed up the cream and had to rush though the last 30 minutes because I had to start over. Thereby I couldn't replace Aaron on the counter when his shift ended and I had to close the bakery earlier. This cut me half of the day's proceeds.

During the day a thousand eggs lost their lives due to rolling over the counter to fall on the floor or just me being unable to properly carry an egg from fridge to counter. I messed up too many mixtures because I didn't check the milk or too much egg shell found its way into the bowl. And the cherry on top of all was when Mrs. Darcy told me that her son turned 11 and not 10, as I wrote it big on the top of the cake.

The definition of disaster day.

For the first time since I opened my bakery, I felt relieved to come home from work. From the far I could already see my neigbour from 22c open the door. I walked faster to slip through before the door closed but it shuts right on my nose. ,,Hey!'' I scream angrily because he did that way too often. I am not sure if he really never sees me but today I don't care. I am angry with him. I am angry with Mrs. Darcy.I am angry with the whole world today.

''Open up, Idiot!'' I scream, drumming on the door, so he finally notices that he is not the only person who lives in the apartment block.

The door flies open surprisingly fast, as if it was a fly weight. He glanced at me for less than a second and walked away.

I blinked my surprise away and quickly followed him upstairs. I should have left him in peace, as I always do, but I stayed at the stairs, watching him looking for his keys in his pockets.

''You're probably not aware of that but I am here to tell you; You don't live alone here and you're being rude. You do that all the time.'', I say, waiting for his response. But nothing happens.

That makes me even angrier. ,,You're such an asshole.''

''Yup'', he says quietly, as if he just wants me to shut up.

My Eyebrows tighten. ''Yup? You cannot- Don't 'yup' at me, Mister.''

And then, for the first time, he turns around and looks me in the eyes. And actually sees me. His face was covered in surprise. My stomach tingled a bit at his glance.

''Okay'', he says and nods , just to quietly disappear inside his apartment.

All my anger flows away. Did Mr. always-grumpy neighbor just...be nice to me?

Must have been a bad day for him too.

I opened the door to my own apartment, closed the door behind me and slid down on it. And suddenly I felt the pain floating all over me. All the anger being replaced with the empty feeling of loss. Realizing I will never see my beloved grandma again. I can't even remember what we talked about the last time I saw her. All I remember is how I promised her that we would make a cake together last christmas, because she missed baking with me. But I didn't visit her because Michael was still on the sea and I wanted to spend my first Christmas with my (now ex) boyfriend. Which was an awful decision because he broke up with me on the first christmas day and I ended up crying through the holidays.

I told Grandma ''Next christmas, okay?'' And now she is dead and we will never bake on christmas.

The next day I felt the results of crying all night on my whole body. I felt tired and weak. In the bakery I tried my best to not drift too far away with my thoughts. Luckily I didn't make as many mistakes as yesterday but still it wasn't a good day. That is why I asked Aaron if I could go earlier and luckily he agreed.

I am so sorry for your loss, Maddie. Do you want me to come over later?''He offered softly because we are best friends but i shaked my head slowly. ''That is nice of you but I'll be fine. Michael will arrive today.''

His eyes widened. ''You still sure he isn't at least a little gay? Or bi?''

I chuckled softly and nodded. ''Pretty sure.''

''Too bad. He is missing out.'' His smile made me feel so much better and I was thankful to have him.

After I left the bakery I took a detour around the marketplace at the haven. I ignored the people who passive-aggressively offered me their vegetables and took the road to my apartment. When I opened the door I wasn't sure to trust my ears. I heard my brother? And...Mr. always-grumpy? I rush upstairs and see Michael chatting brotherly with apartment 22c. What the fuck is happening...?

''Michael?''

He turned around, his eyes widened.

''You're here?'' I add.

''Could ask you the same. I wanted to surprise you at the bakery. ''

My eyes wander to Mr. grumpy and back at him.

Michael understood the question and put his hand on my neighbour's shoulder, who seemed a little uncomfortable. ,,This guy here opened the door for me so I didn't need to freeze my ass up in the cold.''

I lifted an eyebrow, looking at ''this guy''.

''So you open the door for strangers but not for me?'', I ask, crossing my arms before my chest.

His surprised face almost made me smile a bit.

''Well, apparently he isn't a stranger.'', he says as if we both hadn't already noticed at this point.

Michael doesn't realize the cat fight between me and my neighbour, he just softly puts his arm around my shoulders.

''Anyways! Let's go inside, Maddie.''

Leading me to my door he turns around again. ''Feel free to come visit us...''

''Bucky'', he helps him out and Michael smiles. Bucky stays quiet, his face unreadable as always. How does Michael make friends with literally everyone?

''See ya.'', Michael waved, shoving me inside.

After he closed the door behind us I gave him a punitive glance.

''Did you just invite some stranger to my apartment?''

He shrugs. ''He isn't a stranger anymore. We know his name now, remember?''