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Your phone buzzed repeated just as you were finally drifting off to sleep. Your period hit you hard earlier that morning, so you were curled up in your bed, trying to sleep through the worst of your cramps.
You blindly reached out towards your nightstand where your phone rested. Picking it up, you blinked at the display.
Incoming call from Your Skating Buddy.
You groaned, realizing you must have forgotten to message him and let him know that you were not making it to your weekly skate practice. You tapped the green answer icon and the speakerphone icon, letting the phone drop beside your head on the pillow.
"I'm sorry I forgot to text you, Bucky. I can't make it today."
"__________? You okay? You've...you've never canceled."
"I'm okay, Buck; just a little under the weather."
There was a beat of silence. "You don't sound congested, no coughs and or sneezes." It sounded like he was thinking out loud.
"Stomach issues," you offered.
"I'm sorry, Doll. Can...Can I bring you anything? Medicine?"
"Nope," you sighed, popping the p. "But I wouldn't say no if a pint of double chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream magically appeared on my doormat."
"Double choco - It's your........period, isn't it." You could practically hear his wince.
You frowned. "How did you-"
"My friend, Nat, always asks for chocolate stuff during hers."
"Well, aren't you a regular Sherlock Holmes," you teased, trying to take your mind off of the cramps gripping your lower stomach.
"Give me thirty minutes, Doll."
"Huh?" you groaned in confusion.
"Thirty minutes."
"Um...okay?"
"Bye."
"Bye?" You hung up the phone, now thoroughly confused. However, you shrugged it off in favor of sleep's oblivious embrace.
Knock, knock, knock......
The sound of someone at the front door of your townhouse woke from your fitful rest. "Uuuhhhhhggggg...." You rolled out of bed, threw on a cardigan, stumbled down the hall, down the stairs, to your door. You opened it to reveal your skating buddy, Bucky Barnes.
"Hiya, soldier-boy," you greeted with a tired smile. Over the last two months, you had learned a few things about your new friend, including the fact that he had previously served in the U. S. Army with his best friend, Steve, and that he seemed to like to use old-school slang terms. Like really old-school.
"Hi, Doll," he answered quietly, holding out a plastic bag. "For you."
"Wow, um, thanks," you stuttered taking the bag from him. "Come in?"
He nodded and stepped inside. "Um...Nice pajamas," he commented with a faint blush.
You looked down at the little tee shirt and shorts combo you had on under the sweater. "Uh, thanks." You opened the bag to find a whole gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and three packs of M&Ms. "Wow, this is sweet of you, Bucky."
He just nodded shyly, ducking his head. "I...I used to take care of my sister when she was um...you know... sick."
"So, you've probably had lots of practice dealing with hormonal, emotional women."
"....A little..." he nodded again. "I mostly just brought her chocolate, magazines, that kinda thing."
"Ah," you smiled. "I'm more of a movie girl, myself." You paused, thinking. "W-Would...you like to stay and watch a movie with me? I have a couple of cute little ones about skating. You know....to make up for missing skating......"
He hesitated. "But don't you want to go back to bed?"
You thought for a moment. You had been so looking forward to hanging out with Bucky at the ice rink. It had really become the highlight of your week. "Actually, I'd kinda like the company......if you......don't have anything else.....you know....to do........."
A small, but genuine smile curved his lips. "Then, I'd love to."
A warm pleasant feeling welled up in your stomach. "You can grab a seat," you said, smiling and pointing at the couch. I'll grab a couple of spoons for the ice cream; I really shouldn't eat this much by myself."
After retrieving the spoons in the kitchens, you plopped down beside Bucky on the couch and pulled your favorite blanket over both of your laps. Using your remote, you played The Cutting Edge. He subtly slipped his arm along the back of the couch, giving you room to scooch closer if you wanted.
At first, you did not, but gradually over the course of the film, you subconsciously inched closer, seeking warmth to combat the cold of the ice cream. Plus, Bucky needed to be able to reach the carton, right? By the time the movie was over, you were practically leaning on him.
He suggested another movie, Errol Flynn's The Adventures of Robin Hood. You'd never heard of it, so why not? It turned out to be an old film, from sometime in the 1930s. By the time it was half over, Bucky's radiating heat had lulled you into drowsiness.
"It's...It's okay if you wanna sleep..." he whispered.
"You...yawn...You sure.....?"
"Yeah, Doll, I'm sure."
Hesitantly, you laid your head on his shoulder. He stiffened for a moment, but then relaxed, pulling the blanket up over your shoulders. You were out in five minutes.
When you woke up around forty-five minutes later, The credits were rolling, and Bucky was fast asleep too. He had slouched down in his seat, putting his feet up on the ottoman, so that his head could rest against the back of the couch. At some point, his arm had slipped from the top of cushions to drape itself over your shoulders.
He looked so relaxed and peaceful, you did not have the heart to disturb him. Plus, he was super comfortable to lay on. You laid your head back on his chest and drifted off in seconds.