James barnes

The rain had been falling all afternoon, turning the streets outside into a blur of gray and silver. I sat in my car for nearly ten minutes before gathering the courage to get out, staring up at the apartment building and wondering if coming here had been a mistake. My hands rested protectively over my stomach without me even realizing it. The small piece of plastic in my pocket—the pregnancy test I had taken two days ago—felt heavier than anything I had ever carried. I had rehearsed this conversation a hundred times in my head, but none of those versions prepared me for actually standing outside the door. Taking a deep breath, I finally knocked. A few seconds later, the door opened, and there stood James Barnes. His hair was messy, his expression already irritated like my presence alone had ruined his day. “What are you doing here?” he asked bluntly. I swallowed the lump in my throat and stepped inside before I could lose my nerve. “We need to talk,” I said quietly.

The scowl on James Barnes’s face deepened as he leaned forward in his chair, his elbows resting on his knees while his sharp blue eyes searched my face like he was trying to solve a puzzle he didn’t want to deal with. The tension in the room felt suffocating, thick enough that every breath felt heavier than the last. “To know what?” he asked impatiently, his voice rough and edged with irritation. My hands twisted together in my lap as I tried to gather the courage to say the words out loud. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it. “That I’m pregnant,” I finally said. The words seemed to echo in the quiet room. For once, James Barnes had absolutely nothing to say. His mouth opened slightly like he meant to respond, but no sound came out. He leaned back in the chair and dragged a hand through his hair, staring at the floor for a moment before looking back at me. “Pregnant?” he repeated slowly, disbelief thick in his voice. “You’re serious?” I nodded once, swallowing hard. “I wouldn’t joke about something like that, James.”

His jaw tightened as he leaned forward again, resting his forearms on his knees. “How?” he asked bluntly. I rolled my eyes despite the tension twisting inside my chest. “You really want me to explain how babies are made?” I muttered. His expression hardened instantly. “You were on birth control,” he said, his tone sharp and accusing. I felt my stomach twist. “Yeah. When we were together,” I replied quietly. His eyes narrowed. “And then?” he pressed. I hesitated, the memory flashing through my mind whether I wanted it to or not. “The night you came to Tyler’s apartment,” I said softly. James shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “That was four weeks ago,” he said. “Exactly,” I replied. “And I stopped taking the pill after you left.” He stared at me for a long moment. “You just… stopped?” he asked skeptically.

“Well, I didn’t exactly expect you to show up,” I snapped, frustration creeping into my voice. “You walked out on me, James. I thought that was the end of it.” He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. “That night wasn’t supposed to happen,” he muttered. I let out a short, bitter laugh. “Funny, because it definitely did.” His eyes flashed with irritation. “You think this is funny?” he asked. “No,” I replied sharply. “What I think is funny is that you’re acting shocked like you weren’t there too.” He looked away for a moment, his jaw clenching. “You could’ve told me sooner,” he said. “I just found out a few days ago,” I shot back. “Did you expect a dramatic phone call the second the test turned positive?” He sighed heavily and leaned back again. “This is… a lot,” he muttered.

I forced myself to take a slow breath before continuing. “Look, I didn’t come here to fight,” I said more quietly. “I came because you deserve to know.” His eyes flicked back to mine. “Deserve to know?” he repeated. “That’s it?” I nodded. “I’m not asking you for anything, James.” His eyebrows furrowed slightly. “Nothing?” “Nothing,” I confirmed. “I can take care of myself.” He studied my face carefully, like he was trying to figure out if I was lying. “You’re really planning to do this alone?” he asked. My chest tightened, but I kept my voice steady. “If I have to.” He shook his head slightly. “That’s not exactly a small thing you’re talking about.” “I’m aware,” I replied quietly. “But I’m also aware that you can barely stand being in the same room as me.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched painfully between us. James rubbed his hands together, clearly wrestling with his thoughts. “And if I wanted to be involved?” he asked carefully. I shrugged slightly. “Then you’d be involved.” His eyes narrowed. “Just like that?” “Just like that,” I said. “I’m not going to keep you away from your kid.” He leaned forward again, his gaze sharp and searching. “And you’re sure it’s mine?” The question hit like a slap. My breath caught as tears burned instantly behind my eyes. “Wow,” I whispered, shaking my head slowly. “You really just said that.” James immediately looked uncomfortable, but the damage was already done. “I’m just asking—” “No,” I interrupted, my voice trembling. “You’re really accusing me of being slut who gets pregnant by someone else and tells there ex just to get help". I pushed myself to my feet, my legs unsteady. “I wouldn’t lie about something like this.” He stood up too, running a hand through his hair again. “I didn’t say you were lying,” he said quickly. “You didn’t have to,” I replied quietly. My vision blurred slightly as I turned away, refusing to let him see the tears threatening to fall. “I told you because I thought you should know,” I said softly. “What you do with that information is up to you.”