[Bucky fic ver of this on tumblr called "Great Pretender"! @n3ptoonz <3]

Max sat in his apartment idly staring at the ceiling and fiddling with his keys when you walked in. You're an older woman who played along as his widowed stepmother for your con scheme against Tony Stark, the guy you were "dating." You and Max are actually dating, and when you had your fake argument in front of Tony, you had to slap Max to make the scheme more believable. Really sell the troubled stepmother bit to not raise suspicion.

You stood at the arch that led to the living room and stared at Max who paid no mind to you coming in, fiddling with your acrylic thumbs sheepishly.

"I am sorry I slapped you, sweetheart," you said softly. You spoke in that tone that picked at the steel walls he always built up. That made his stoic expression break a bit faster.

Max didn't turn his head but he stopped swinging the key ring on his finger. Abrupt to emphasize he was not happy.

Your heels clicked as you walked over to him and sat on the couch next to him. "How can I make it up to you?" you asked, gently placing your hand on his thigh as you stared at his side profile. You subtly caressed his thigh for a moment before he caught your wrist.

He felt childish. Petulant whenever he was with you and he hated it. But he couldn't let you go. His jaw clenched when your eyes met.

"Don't." he said in a low voice. His voice sharp just as cold as him. "You can't make up for humiliating me in front of him."