Rapid Recovery (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 24 : Epiphany

Y/n was now sitting on one of the metal bars in the room of the building that Sam had been able to talk to Karli in, earlier. It had now been written off as a crime scene, police tape lining the tables in the room. Bucky stood in between her legs with his metal hand on her side, ensuring that she wouldn't fall off, cleaning the cuts that she sustained on her face while Sam explained the information he had been told about Karli's whereabouts.

Y/n had barely been listening to Sam. Instead, she was looking up at Bucky, who was concentrating on taking care of her in silence. He was so careful with her, so gentle, a part of her wanted to know if he had ever acted that way with anyone else, but she quickly shook the thought away. That wasn't something she needed to worry about...at least, not right now.

Y/n snapped out of her thoughts when Sam raised his voice a little and said, "She's gone," before lowering his voice again, "We'll never find her."

Bucky finished cleaning her up, making Y/n look up at him with a weak smile of gratitude before Torres walked in.

"Hey, you uhh, you got your sleeve back...and you, you didn't die from the fall," Y/n and Bucky turned their heads to look at Torres, Bucky turning away with an unbothered look while Y/n sighed, remembering her fall from the plane. She could tell that Bucky was definitely in no mood for a conversation with Torres by the look he gave him when he turned his head back to Y/n instead, without answering.

Bucky placed his hands on Y/n's hips, taking her by surprise as he helped her jump off of the metal bar.

He gently grabbed her hand in silence, leading her to the exit. He now felt more than comfortable with holding her hand. It was something he had done a lot over the past few days, and Y/n never complained about it. In fact, she liked holding his hand. It showed that he trusted her, cared for her.

Her heart fluttered as she thought of all the times he wanted to protect her, all the times he held her hand, all the times he held her, all the things he'd ever said to her, no matter how simple...

"Who knows what they'll do to a pretty girl like you."

"You stay with me."

"Are you ok? You're not hurt?"

"I'm not letting you get hurt."

Maybe...something somewhat like feelings began to develop towards Bucky within her. She physically shook her head slightly at the thought. She couldn't have feelings towards Bucky. He trusted her. He somewhat let her in when he didn't have to. She wasn't going to mess it up over a little crush she may or may not have. She didn't even know herself.

"Are you off to take care of Zemo?" Sam asked Bucky, making the pair turn around to face him.

Bucky stayed silent, looking at Sam with a straight face, although Sam knew that was exactly what he was going to do. Zemo had to be taken care of and Bucky would've felt obligated to bring him in, to the Wakandans.

"See you soon, Sam," Y/n said to him with a small smile and a goodbye nod, allowing Bucky to drag her away with him after Sam returned the nod and small smile.

"Alright, good to know you survived," Torres called out to them as they exited.

"So, where are we off to, Buck?" Y/n asked him, glancing up at his face while he looked straight ahead, leading her out of the building.

"I know where Zemo is," he answered simply, confusing Y/n. How could he know where Zemo was?

"Well...where is he?" she questioned, glancing up at Bucky again. They walked at a fast pace to a nearby area of greenery.

"Sokovia, and they'll take us there," Bucky explained, looking up as a shadow formed over them and the grass beneath them. An advanced jet was blocking their view of the torturous afternoon rays of the sun while it lowered to the ground, safely.

Y/n gazed at the modern vehicle in confusion, slightly tilting her head to the side while the entrance to the jet slowly opened, revealing the three Wakandans from the day that John had barged into Zemo's place.

Bucky sent a swift nod to the three women that stood before them in a powerful formation. Bucky led Y/n forward, up the ramp of the jet and allowed her to move further inside with him. The cockpit held the capacity for five people, much bigger than the usual capacity which only held two to three. Although, it was still a small and confined space.

The three women sat at the front of the jet, Y/n's eyes skimming over the dashboard that was scattered with glimmering lights and buttons. Bucky and Y/n sat further in the back two seats together, Y/n instantly leaning her head on his left shoulder from slight exhaustion.

"It'll be hours before we arrive, James," Ayo notified him without looking back, keeping her focus in front of her as the jet lifted off of the ground, preparing for the journey to Sokovia.

"Thank you," he answered with a strong and serious tone before looking down at Y/n.

"You ok there?" Bucky asked her, a small smile forming at her comfortability with him, casually laying against him, something she seemed to have done from the start.

Y/n sighed dramatically before she said, "Yep. Other than the fact that I look and feel like shit," she shrugged casually. She received a couple seconds of silence until Bucky lifted his covered metal arm over her head and wrapped it around her shoulder, pulling her in even more.

"Relax. You're beautiful," he said, casually, a flush of red instantly creeping up her neck and flooding her cheeks. A warmth spread through her, radiating from her heart by his compliment.

She cleared her throat, attempting to come up with a response to the unexpected compliment, "Why thank you, Mr Barnes. You're beautiful too," Y/n mentally facepalmed at her reply, although trying to pass it off as a joke.

"Mr Barnes?" he asked in a teasing tone at her incapability of coming up with a simpler reply. Anyone would have either thanked the other or continued to degrade themselves, fishing for further compliments. Instead, Y/n turned it into a joke out of nervousness, making him smile.

"Shut up. I was caught off guard," Y/n defended herself, a wide smile spreading across her face as he chuckled at her.

She felt stupid for wearing a smile that wide, just by hearing someone's laugh. She enjoyed seeing him like this. Like the person he must've been before the war, before the Winter Soldier.

She let out a small sigh, partly of excitement and partly of frustration as she came to a conclusion...

She gently grabbed his flesh hand, slipping the leather glove off, bringing his palm up and placing her own flat against his, measuring the difference in size between their hands. Hers looked so small compared to his, she thought, gazing at their hands. Bucky watched her carefully with slight confusion, but admiration at the cuteness of her innocent actions.

She slightly pouted before slowly clasping her hand with his. Intertwining their fingers and lowering their hands together, resting on his thigh.

She was falling for James Bucky Barnes...