Bound To You (Bucky Barnes X OC)

Avoidance

It had been a week since Jade had seen or heard from Bucky. After that day on the training field, Bucky left the compound and hadn't returned. Jade was worried, but Steve assured her that he was okay. He wouldn't accept her calls or answer her texts, but he would at least let Steve know he was still alive. Jade had barely been sleeping since he left. The bed they shared felt cold without him cuddling up to her. Steve tried comforting her, but it wasn't the same.

Steve would come to Jade's room each night with take out and watch movies with her until she fell asleep. It was the only way he could ensure that she would eat and sleep. One night, he fell asleep next to her and woke up to her whimpering and shaking. She was curled in a ball and calling out for Bucky. He slowly rubbed circles on her back until she woke up. His heart broke as she looked at him with a hopeful expression, only to be thrown back into the darkness when she realized it was Steve and not Bucky laying beside her. He had pulled her into his arms as fresh tears rushed down her cheeks. When she had finished crying, she pulled back and looked at Steve.

"I fucked up, Steve. I fucked up so bad. What I said...it didn't come out right. I didn't mean it to sound that way. He didn't let me explain and now he's gone. I don't know if he's going to come back and it scares me. What if he can't forgive me? I want him to come back, but at the same time, I'm mad at him. But I shouldn't be mad, right? This is my fault after all." Jade rambled. 

"I just can't get over the fact that he left me here and has refused to talk to me for the last week. The only reason I know that he isn't dead is because of you. I've been so worried about him and it feels like he doesn't even care." Jade sobbed again.

"Hey, stop. Bucky loves you. I've never seen him so head over heels before. There's no way that he wouldn't forgive you and he will definitely come back. He just needs some time." Steve paused before continuing.

"When Hydra took you, Bucky was a mess. It took me a week to even get him out of the room. He didn't eat, barely slept, he wouldn't even talk unless it was about you. He was afraid that you were dead and he thought it was his fault. Even if you didn't mean it the way it came out, it triggered something in his head because he blames himself for what happened to you. Just give him some time, sweetheart. He's crazy about you. He can't stay away from you for long.

And you have every right to be angry. The man you love left without telling you. You haven't heard from him even though you've sent him multiple messages apologizing. Don't feel guilty for how you feel."

Jade gently nodded her head and sniffled. She laid her head on Steve's chest and her thoughts drifted back to that day on the training field. She should have realized why Bucky reacted the way he did. They had talked in length about how he blamed himself. He had apologized to Jade more times than she could count and each time she told him that there was nothing to apologize for.

Why had she said what she said? Why did it have to come out that way? She had just convinced Bucky that she felt safe with him and that what happened wasn't because of him. How could he ever trust that what she said was true? He would see it as nothing more than a bundle of meaningless words meant to quell his guilt.

"Thank you for keeping me company this week, Steve. You're the only thing that kept me sane. I love you, Rogers."

"Love you too, sweetheart."

Steve gave her a kiss on the forehead and pulled her closer to his chest. Jade fell asleep with tears stinging her eyes and the knowledge that she had a long road to Bucky's forgiveness ahead of her.

~

Jade shot up from the bed, a strangled scream leaving her throat. Steve was gone and her comforter was spread across the floor. The bed sheets were soaked with her sweat and her t-shirt and shorts clung to her wet body. Without a second thought, Jade pushed herself from the bed and walked straight into the bathroom. The door slammed so hard that the bathroom mirror shook on the wall.