pairings: bucky barnes x reader, oc x reader
warnings: nosy neighbors, mutual pining, fake dating
about: "You stayed over at my place one night but my nosy, annoying neighbour saw you leave. They always get on my case about being single so I told them that we're dating to show them"
a/n: you have no idea how much fun it was to write this. if you want a part two... i wil one hundred thousand percent give it to you. now. a confession, i wrote this and finished it like two days after you requested but got caught up with a bunch of requests and didn't get the chance to edit. i hope you enjoy!!

the keys in your grasp jingle and clink against each other when you move to quickly lock your door, even through your attempts to keep the noise down. you cringe when the bronze key, settled between two others on both sides, clangs loudly against the metal of your doorknob. quickly wrapping your fingers around all of the keys while your other hand is pressed against the wood of your door, you hold your breath and shut your eyes as if it mutes the noise.

when you hear nothing, you sigh softly, letting the shoulders you hadn't even realized had tensed drop down, clicking your lock closed. you move to pick up your bag, sure you're safe when the door across from you suddenly opens, light spilling out along with the woman living in the apartment, nestled in a deep purple robe that she tugs against her form, hair parted as if she was in the middle of doing it.

"y/n!" she exclaims, eyebrows raising in surprise as she crosses her arms over each other, "where are you sneaking off to so early in the morning?"

you give her a tight smile, grip tightening around the straps of your bag. "i-"

miss sellack gasps before you can continue, a dramatic hand coming up to her lips, "have you finally gotten a boyfriend? i told gertie upstairs you could do it. she's always saying how lonely you are and i can't say i disagree, but i knew you could do it. no matter what anyone says."

you force a dry laugh from your throat, nodding stiffly at her words, clearly dipped in condescension from the little smirk playing on her lips and the other quips she'd thrown at you when she saw you around the building. annoying little sad smiles when she'd spy you alone—which was most, if not all of the time—while she was always with her partner. sad pats on the shoulder and patronizing whispers of "it'll be okay" or "there's someone out there for you, too." basically a pathetically thinly-veiled "you're alone and will probably die alone, and i will never stop reminding you of it."

"not exactly," you tell her, "but thanks, i guess."

she pauses and pouts for you, solemnly shaking her head, "you'll find him," she says, "someday."

you hum tensely, "right. have a nice day."

-

"i don't know why you don't just ignore her or move out. you know you have a room here at the compound, and stark is all too happy to get you a better apartment in a better neighborhood with nicer neighbors," natasha replies in response to the recount of your morning, stirring her tea with a short green stick.

"she makes good cookies!" you defend, your words the complete truth; sellack made amazing cookies, and you'd take her deprecating actions for the large can of the cookies she gave you every few months—however, it didn't mean you had to like it. "and bad neighbors are everywhere," you point out. "besides, i like not depending on tony that much. i feel like he'd kick me out or something if i made him mad enough, it's just like i'd have to pay a debt if i lived on him. it makes me feel a little more... normal, too."

"like you're not an ex-assassin newly reformed avenger?" natasha asks.

"like i'm not an ex-assassin newly reformed avenger," you confirm. "just someone with no special skills and an annoying neighbor that won't shut up about the fact that i'm single and pointing it out a little bit snobbier each time."

"the epitome of normal if i've ever heard it," natasha grins.

you laugh. "exactly."

"besides," natasha starts, "you know she's wrong. if you were to, you already know that the minute you start to look, there'll be a line forming out your door. all the recruits are already head over heels for you, never mind barnes."

blushing, you shake your head, "you're not still with that, are you?"

"i only speak the truth," your friend shrugs, taking a sip of her drink. her eyes trace over your face before looking at something over your shoulder. "speak of the devil," she smiles.

two hands, one warm and one cold but both soft, fall on each of your shoulders, fingertips beginning to gently dig into your skin in a sort of pre-massage. you can't hold back the smile that graces your lips, tilting your chin up to meet bucky's eyes over you, "hello."

"hey," he grins, "'wanted to remind you that movie night is at yours tonight."

you raise a brow, "is it now?"

bucky nods, "we are tired of tony being so loud, we can't hear the movie, and steve's already hosted, meaning we'll be heading to your lovely neighborhood and trying to squeeze into your living room."

you laugh, "alright. but one of you will have to watch the television from the bed in my room because you guys take up much more space than my apartment was made for."

"'s alright, i guess some of us will just have to squeeze in there," bucky winks, making you chuckle.

"just try to not leave at three this time, my neighbor insisted i was in some sort of cult last time."

"promise, doll," bucky swears, "i will not leave your apartment at three in the morning."

-

"you know, this is not what i meant by don't be out of here at three," you snort, making a bed on your couch as bucky helps you clean up around the apartment, the others having been gone by twelve. bucky throws away a beer with a clang in the garbage can, turning to look at you with a small smirk.

"well, you didn't specify," bucky shrugs, sweeping away bits of chips and candy from your table and into your trash can, getting serious once he straightens up, "but i can go home right now if you mind, really."

you shake your head, patting a pillow you placed on the armrest, "it's really no problem. i feel safer with you here anyway."

bucky tilts his head at you, "you say that as if you couldn't handle yourself."

"never hurts to have a huge super-soldier on your couch, though, does it?" you query, eyeing the ensemble you'd put together with proud hands on your hips before looking to find bucky, groaning quietly when you see him cleaning your kitchen. "bucky," you whine, "you don't have to clean. i'm the regrettable hostess or whatever."

laughing, bucky sets down your bin, "and i was raised right by my ma. i would've mopped by now if i knew where the mop was."

"there is," you begin, raising an index finger, "no need for that. you've already done more than enough, you should go to sleep. mop tomorrow."

"yes ma'am," bucky salutes, picking up and throwing away a couple more things before heading to the bathroom to get ready.

you grab some soda cans and other packages from the table in the middle of your living room to throw them away so as to make bucky's space seem nicer, going to the couch again to pat the fluffy blanket you've piled atop other soft covers since you know how much bucky likes the feeling of them and fluffing a pillow.

"you know i don't really get cold, right?" bucky asks when he comes out of your bathroom, spotting all of the blankets and furrowing his eyebrows.

rolling your eyes, you fix one of the ends of the fluffy one, "doesn't matter." you look up to see bucky in loose sweatpants and an old shirt, biting your lip when you turn to your couch, obviously too small for the man waiting to sleep in it. "'you sure you don't want the bed? i know you already said that you wouldn't because of chivalry, but it might be more comfortable and half of your body won't be falling off."

bucky shakes his head, a small smile playing on his lips, "nope. i'm good on the couch, i promise, doll."

jutting your bottom lip out, you sigh before nodding begrudgingly, "alright then, but if you change your mind, just let me know, okay?"

bucky hums although he knows he's definitely not going to do that, even if only half of him could fit on the couch. you send him a look because you know that, but the yawn that slips past your lips doesn't let you argue much. "i'll be fine, go." he says kindly.

"goodnight, then," you tell him, pecking his cheek like you usually do as a goodbye.

-

it's late in the morning when he leaves. he wakes up earlier than you, trying his best to be quiet in order to slip out without you noticing, but he's so used to being comfortable around you, making as much noise as he pleases, even with his spy training, your own experience and squeaky floorboards combined with his weight are too great even for him. you smack his arm when you realize what he's trying to do, convincing him to eat something for breakfast before he goes back to the compound. he's pleasantly surprised when you serve chocolate chip pancakes and two eggs, making extra just in case it isn't enough to soothe his super-soldier hunger.

you say goodbye to him at the door, kissing his cheek again and barely noticing the creak of the boards in the apartment across from you.

"i'll see you later!" you tell bucky when he leaves, giving you a small wave. turning to go back inside your apartment, the sound of a door opening stops you, and you squeeze your eyes shut when you realize you forgot to tell bucky to be quiet, although it wouldn't have done much.

"y/n!" miss sellack exclaims dramatically, poking her head through the door frame in the direction through which bucky left, bringing her hand to her chest, "that man was so attractive. i imagine he's just a friend, do you think he could be a good match for my simone?"

you're ready for the dating accusations, but her real reply is more surprising—and offending—than you thought it would. you tilt your head at her without meaning to, choking out a laugh, "no. no, he's actually my boyfriend," you lie, the fact you're doing it not processing until the words are out. fuck.

"is he?" sellack wonders, eyes wide and lips parted in a way that makes the offense sink deeper into your chest. ouch. "well then. i never thought—how surprising."

"why?" you force out, genuine in your question because you knew how she was, but you didn't assume she would look this taken aback when you were to get a boyfriend—not that you have one, but in the case.

"oh, just, i've seen him around and never really got the impression. i'd assume that with a man like him, you'd make sure everyone knew he was yours," she shrugs, shaking her head distractedly. after a small pause, she looks back up at you, squinting, "and you're actually together?"

feeling heat burn at the bottom of your belly, rising up into your cheeks, you nod, the guilt of lying completely erased. "yeah," you state, "very in love with him."

in your indignation, you don't notice bucky coming back, eyebrows raised at your words. "very in love with who?" he asks when he comes closer, and with the risk of embarrassment in front of the neighbor that already does it on the daily, you decide the play the part, stretching your hand out to wrap around bucky's. your fingers intertwine too easily, and it's too effortless the way you pull him to you. his surprise shines through, only noticeable to you.

"you, of course," you smile, his eyes narrowing in confusion as his tongue begins to soak in question, so you tug him even closer, pressing your lips against his, beginning to move with ease. he responds immediately after the initial shock, hands settling on your waist. you pull away after a few seconds, finding yourself standing much closer to bucky, his arms around your waist and a cocky look on his face.

"well, i see i was very wrong," sellack huffs, flustered. you nod.

"yeah. it's fine, we usually keep that behind locked doors, right honey?" you look to bucky, pleading in your eyes that he doesn't even pick up on as he nods.

"right. can't help it sometimes with this one, though. have you seen her?"

heat rushes to your face, the fingers on your hip tightening as bucky presses a kiss to the top of your head.

"well then," sellack says, "you two have a nice day."

you and bucky repeat the words to her, watching her go inside her apartment before you bring a hand to your face, stepping inside your own with bucky trailing behind you. he shuts the door as you mutter oh my god to yourself, pressing your index and thumb to your nose.

"'forgot my keys," bucky starts, "'m not complaining, just wasn't expecting such a warm welcome back, i think that's how you should greet from now on, actually."