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***February 14th***
As the morning light lit up your room and you slowly woke up, you found that you had no memory of falling asleep. Stretching, you stayed in your bed for a few moments before slowly sitting up. Hearing a crinkling sound under your leg, you checked, finding the note from the previous nights bouquet delivery. You suddenly remembered that you had been lying on your bed, reading over the note. You must have drifted off to sleep at some point. Though, you had faint memories of weird and uncomfortable dreams, but no specifics stuck in your memory.
The realization that today was Valentines Day hit you, and you were suddenly filled with a mixture of anxiety and excitement. You took a few deep breaths as you tried to calm yourself down. Today is the day, when everything changes.
Getting out of bed, you got ready for the day. Knowing that you still had work to do today before the party this evening. You would try your best not to think about what was going to happen today. Even though you didn’t know for sure when it would happen exactly. Before the party, during, after?
You left the tower shortly after getting ready, you needed to go to the SHIELD base today, Fury had some assignments for you. Hopefully whatever he had for you would be distracting.
Once you arrived you got right to work, tracking and scouting the possible group that sent the team after the SHIELD base. You never left the SHIELD building, instead, tracking them from drones and satellites. You were gathering information on their movements and number of people. Taking a few breaks throughout the day to work on some other assignments.
Around 5pm, Fury came back to check on you and your progress. After updating him, he sat down on the corner of the table next to you, staring down at you.
“So, got any plans for tonight?”
“Uhh, just attending Tony’s party.”
He nodded his head “Nothing else?” he questioned, something in his tone seemed off.
Turning, you eyed him for a moment before rolling your eyes “Which one told you, Nat or Clint?”
He smirked “Told me about what?”
Knowing his game, you turned back around “Nothing.”
He chuckled “Okay, yeah, Romanoff mentioned the flowers, and being a romantic myself, I am naturally curious, so, do you know who it is yet?”
You sighed as you turned back to him “No, I don’t….but, tonight I am supposed to find out…”. He was the first person you actually told that too. No one else knew that they had planned to show themselves tonight. Not unless the secret person told someone else that is.
“Ooh” he laughed “Well then, you better go get ready.”
“What? The party isn’t for another three hours.”
“Well you’ve got to dress to impress right? Go, go!”
“I- “
“That’s an order Agent” he said with a more serious tone.
Closing your opened mouth, you stood as he stared at you expectantly, after taking a few steps away you turned back to him “I never knew you to be a romantic.”
He smiled at you “Oh yeah, love that shit. Ever read Pride and Prejudice?” you reacted with surprise and an amused smile at this as he continued “It’s a secret passion though. Secret, got it?”
You returned his smile and nodded “Yes sir” before turning to leave, feeling the anxiety you had tried to run from fill your thoughts again. Upon thinking more about the party, you realized that you never actually planned out anything to wear.
- - - -
You stared at the possible outfits you had laid out on your bed, you had narrowed it down to three. You figured that the party was probably ‘black tie optional’ but definitely ‘party-esque’. So, getting rid of the more extravagant outfit, you were stuck between the silky black outfit, and the gold and black outfit. You finally decided on the gold and black, you would match with the decor a bit more.
There was a little over an hour left until the party actually started, so you got dressed and finished getting ready, before you sat down at your desk. You grabbed the small container you had been storing the notes in and opened it, reading over the notes one more time. Looking around at the flowers placed around your room, you were almost melancholy that most of them had begun to wilt. The potted plants were still thriving, though the flowers were beginning to die as well.
You remembered that you still needed to press one of the daffodils before they began to wilt. Deciding to do it now, you clipped off one of the prettiest blooms and took out your supplies. By the time you had finished and put the flowers away, pressed underneath some heavy books, you checked the clock, seeing that the party had technically begun about 15 minutes earlier.
Rising, you quickly grabbed your stuff before heading out the door and to the elevator. While in the elevator you began to feel antsy, your anxiety rising. When the doors opened, you walked out into the hall, seeing some people mingling, the sound of music coming from the main room.
Waking past and saying hello to a few people you knew, you entered into the main room, seeing around 50 people had already arrived, some of the avengers scattered throughout the room. You and Natasha saw each other, and met in the middle of the room.
As she smiled at you, you felt a growing intensity. “Hey, I was wondering if you were going to show up at all, most of us were down here already.” she asked as you stopped in front of each other.
“Oh, yeah sorry I got distracted and forgot to check the time.”
She smiled but seemed to be studying you, she spoke again, a bit quieter than before “Are you alright? Did something happen?”
You hesitated for a moment as you looked around “I just…” you let out a small sigh “I’m supposed to learn who has been leaving the flowers tonight.” you finally said as you watched her reaction.
She smiled lightly “Yeah, I figured.”
“Do you know who it is? I mean, you don’t have to tell me, but just. Do you?”
She seemed to think for a moment “I…think I know. But, you know I’m not gonna say anything. But just…” she placed her hands on your shoulders “Relax. Don’t overthink too much, it’ll be aright.”
You nodded your head “Yeah I know, it’s just, this sort of thing doesn’t happen a lot you know?”
You both chuckled, as she looped her arm through yours “I’ll stay with you for a while, we’ll get a drink and some food okay?”
You smiled at her “Thanks Nat.”
- - - -
You had mingled with Nat, Sam, Clint and Rhodey for a while before you all scattered to mingle elsewhere. A lot more people had arrived and the tower was getting pretty crowded. Anytime you saw or talked with one of the other’s you felt as though at any moment they could tell you it was them.
It started to overwhelm you a bit, so you decided you needed a breather. Finding an empty balcony, you walked out into the cool air, staring out at the bright city. You leaned over on the railing, closing your eyes and taking a breath.
You hadn’t seen that Bucky had been watching you, and followed you when he saw you leave. So you jumped slightly when you heard a voice from behind you “Y/n?”
Turning, you see Bucky peaking out of at you, taking a step out, he closed the door behind him as he spoke “Are you alright? I saw you leave and though something might be wrong.”
You smiled at him as he watched you from by the door, his hands behind his back as he watched you closely. “I’m alright Buck” you lied.
He nodded his head as he walked over to you, he could tell you were lying, but he decided not to press. Making sure he kept his hands hidden, he leaning against the railing, and looked out at the city for a few moments before he spoke again “How’d the flower pressing go?”
“Oh, it went well, I like the way they are turning out so far.” you smiled, welcoming the conversation, but feeling a pang of disappointment as you remembered how Bucky reacted when you told him about the flowers. You had hoped it was him, and that when you told him about the flowers, maybe he’d give in and tell you that it had been him the whole time.
He nodded his head a few times in understanding “I think it’s really nice that you want to keep them in some way” you shared a smile, as you tried to ignore the lasting disappointment. Bucky cleared his throat a bit as you noticed his demeanor change as he straightened back up “So, uh, how do you think these would look pressed?” he asked as he pulled a small bouquet of red roses from behind his back.
You straightened up as well as you stared at the flowers, your heart now beating heavily in your chest, how did you not see those? Looking between the flowers and Bucky you opened your mouth but remained speechless, unsure of how to react. Bucky watched you expectantly for a moment as you gathered yourself, you finally let out a breathy sigh and smiled, meeting his eyes. “It’s you?”
He shrugged slightly in response “Is that surprising? Or, disappointing?”
You shook your head “No, no, you…were actually, who I was really hoping it would be.” you said somewhat shyly.
A smile spread across his face as you said this, clearly relieved. Passing you the flowers, he watched as your smile grew as you smelled them before looking back up at him “They’ll go great with the others” he smiled at you as you fiddled with them a bit “Don’t…red roses mean.. I love you?” you asked as you met his eyes.
He nodded his head lightly before speaking almost in a whisper “Yes, they do. And…I do” he let out a small sigh, as if relieved and happy to finally be admitting “I love you. I’m not sure for how long exactly, but…”
“I love you too Bucky” you muttered, the sentence alone making your heart feel as thought it was going to explode. “And, they’re beautiful” you muttered “Thank you.” you looked down at the flowers again.
He took a small step closer to you, bringing his hand to your chin as he tilted your head up, so you’d look at him “I also meant every word that I wrote ya’ know.”
“I know.” you smiled at each other before you spoke again “But, how did you get the flowers to my door the days when you were around me?”
He thought for a second “It actually wasn’t that hard, the Salvias, I left one of the times I left the gym when you were running, the Lisianthus when I went to go get my wallet.”
“And what about the Camellias, how did I not catch you?”
He let out a breathy chuckle “Wanda. She found out the day before, she caught me with the sunflowers, so I asked her to help me out.”
“Oh” you chuckled “Who else knew?” you asked out of curiosity.
“Just Sam and Steve. But I think some of the others might have figured it out too.” He hesitated for a moment before speaking again “I was really afraid that, you’d want it to be someone else, but, then, when you told me about wanting to press them, it gave me a new sense of hope.”
You smiled at him “I was kind of afraid when you didn’t really show much response, since I was hoping it was you. But, I guess it makes sense, you are pretty good at keeping secrets” you laughed “But I am very happy that it is you.”
Returning the smile he inched a little closer, bringing his hand back to your face “I only ever want you to be happy.” He paused for a second “Can I…?”
Knowing what his question was, you leaned a bit closer as well, nodding slightly, and whispering out “Yes.”
Meeting each other with a slow passionate kiss, your heart continued to beat rapidly in your chest, but no longer out of fear or anxiety, but out of excitement and joy. When you pulled away Bucky smiled at you “Since we both don’t really want to be here, wanna go somewhere else? Go for a drive, get some decent food?” he asked in reference to Tony’s choice of a “romantic dinner”.
You chuckled “Tony will be mad.”
“So?” he asked with a smirk.
Smiling, you looked towards the frosted balcony doors, hearing the music and chatter of people, most of whom you didn’t even know. Looking back at Bucky, you nodded your head “Okay.”
Reaching down, he took your hand in his with a smile before he pulled you back inside. You managed to sneak out of one of the side doors, only seen by a few, including Wanda and Steve, who spotted you at the same time, meeting eyes from across the crowd, they shared wide happy smiles.