Marvel Imagines

Ice Cold (Bucky Barnes X Reader)

A/N: Can we talk about Bucky wearing short sleeves? I nearly threw my laptop across the room the first time I watched episode four! Man! (Bucky needs to wear t-shirts more often...)

****

It was cold.

Freezing cold.

Ice cold.

So much so, that as you roll over onto your side to blearily face the digital clock on the nightstand beside the rather makeshift bed you're currently laying in, you just grunt in disgust.

"3:00 AM? Really?" You mutter groggily to no one in particular, grabbing the blankets around you and wrapping them even tighter against your beginning to shiver form.

You had been warned it was going to get chilly.

It had been in your Mission folder.

Natasha had verbally told you how cold it was to likely be once nightfall settled.

Even your Partner had reminded you of the fact of the lowering temperatures before you'd wandered off to bed, declining his suggestion of staying together in the living room where the fireplace was.

But now, as you lay in the small bedroom of the safehouse that you could swear is falling apart by the seams, you silently curse under your breath, regretting your decision before you'd fallen into a slumber.

"Why don't we just stay out here?" Bucky Barnes had suggested, motioning to the quaint living area you both are seated in, you on the couch and he on the floor, tending to the fire. "We'll be warmer that way."

"No offence Barnes, but you're the last person I'd want to sleep with," You chuckled, sinking deeper into the couch cushions, hugging a nearby pillow tightly.

"Oh," Came the reply, a rather low, almost teasing sounding laugh. "That bad, am I?"

You hadn't bothered to reply, rather, you'd already made your way to your feet and were headed down the small hallway towards the room that you both had stashed your weapons in previously.

"C'mon Y/N! You'll freeze out there! You can have the couch! I'll take the floor!" Bucky had called after you, his tone sounding genuine and sincere, concerned for your well-being.

"I'll be fine, James."

That was the last thing you'd said to your Partner since you'd last seen him, and frankly, you're beginning to regret those words on top of your stupid decision.

"You know what?" You mumble to yourself, slipping out of the safety of the covers, your socked feet instantly becoming chilled to the bone.

I made a bad call.

Maybe he'll have kept the fire stoked just enough that there'll still be some heat left.

Silently, you leave the small bedroom behind, wandering towards the living room, teeth chattering, the blankets from your bed wrapped around your shoulders in a vain attempt to keep yourself somewhat warm.

The sight in front of you stuns you momentarily, evident by your sudden halt in advancement.

Bucky Barnes is wide awake, bleary eyed, but still very much so awake, sitting on the armchair closest to the small fire still burning.

"I figured you'd come looking for me," He muses aloud, voice slightly rougher than usual as he lifts his head to gaze at you.

"It's absolutely freezing in here!" You hiss out in annoyance, wether at yourself for allowing a unfamiliar feeling of warmth swell within you at the sound of the voice of the man in front of you or the fact that you're still cold, you're not quite sure.

"I told you it would be," Bucky smirks as you near him, taking a seat on the floor in front of the fireplace, your hands held out, seeking warmth. "And it was in our Mission folder, and Natasha warned us both, and-"

"You told me before I went to bed, yeah, yeah. I know," You grumble, shifting your blanketed form closer to the flames behind the wire doors.

"I guess you're taking me up on my offer now that you're out here?" Your Partner hums softly as you raise your gaze to meet his, a compassionate smirk gracing his lips.

"I guess so," You reply softly, not really paying much attention to his movements, only to jump in surprise when his larger form is suddenly beside you, an arm casually draped over your shoulders, his side leaning into you.

Noticing your startled jump, Bucky murmurs something incomprehensible beneath his breath, hastily shifting away, the arm around your shoulders now absent.

"Why'd you do that?" You question, stifling a sudden yawn, turning to face his now seemingly sorrowed figure, his eyes no longer meeting yours.

"You jumped at my touch," He states plainly, a trace of guilt in his tone. "I shouldn't have bothered."

Scoffing, you shove aside any rational thoughts your brain is blaring at you and decide to give into your heart, moving over so now it's your side pressed up against his.

"You didn't hurt me, Buck," You assure quietly, tentatively grasping his hand in yours, watching as his fingers intertwine with yours. "You just took me by surprise, that's all."

Your Partner simply nods, his gaze transfixed on the area of his thigh where both of your hands are locked together.

"Can I-" He mumbles, cutting himself off as he brings his other, prosthetic hand towards where his gaze is fixated on, momentarily removing his good hand from yours only to replace it with his left one seconds later.

The sensation of cool metal against your already freezing hands makes you shiver slightly, but you don't pull away, rather, you grip his hand tighter, as if to reassure him that you're alright.

"Why don't we both take the floor?" Bucky muses aloud, tearing his gaze away from where your hand is still interlocked with his. "We're closer to the fire that way, and we're already here."

Wordlessly, you nod, moving even closer to the dulling flames, leaving your Partner behind.

Though it doesn't take him long to appear at your side, moments later, pillows and blankets in hand, along with his familiar black jacket draped over top of the pile.

"You won't be cold without that?" You inquire, guesting to the article of outerwear atop the mountain of blankets as well as his now partially bare arms.

At this, Bucky grins, passing you a pillow and a collection of warm blankets, settling down beside you, his steel blue eyes shining on you.

"I'll be just fine," He assures, nudging the jacket closer to your now heavily blanketed form, somehow still shivering. "You need it more than I do, obviously."

"Oh, shut it," You grumble, giving into his request and nabbing the jacket from him, throwing it over your shoulders and sipping it up before snuggling back into your cocoon.

"It looks good on you," He chuckles softly, causing you to blush, suddenly hyper aware of how close you are to his much broader form and just how much the piece of clothing now around you smells like him.

You make no reply, not trusting your muddled brain to formulate a sentence.

Instead, you scooch closer to Bucky, nudging his arm gently, purely acting on instinct at this point.

He seems to understand what you're trying to accomplish, and soon enough, you're curled up against his side, finally beginning to warm up with his body heat against yours.

"You're not so bad after all, Buck," You yawn into his chest, lazily embracing his torso as his own grip around you tightens.

You can practically sense the grin spreading across the man's features above you as he silently watches your eyes flutter closed, your breathing beginning to slow and even out.

And soon enough, you're sound asleep, much warmer and...

Almost enlightened at the mutual return of the feelings you'd ignored for so long.

Turns out maybe on the occasion, not bothering to take people's advice can pay off - one way or another.