Relapse ★ Bucky Barnes

You're My Person

Bucky slowly made his way up the stairs in Clint's house, running a hand through his hair as he did so. He headed down the hallway, only stopping when he came to Marlena's door. He pushed it open slowly, careful not to wake his sleeping fiancée. The room was growing dark, as it was nearing dusk. Marlena had been fast asleep for hours, and normally he would have woken her up, but he was aware of just how horrible she felt due to the day's events; he knew sleeping would do her and her body some good.

He kicked his shoes off and padded quietly over to her bed where she lay before laying down himself. Bucky's blue eyes fell upon Marlena's face, which was lit up by the dim light inside the room. Bucky couldn't help but smile to himself as he gazed at her. Her face was free of makeup, just as Bucky preferred; her skin was fair and free of flaw, at least in Bucky's opinion it was; light freckles covered the entirety of her face, though it was difficult to make them out from afar.

Bucky was thankful. He was so thankful for Marlena—so thankful to have her in his life. Marlena made Bucky feel complete, regardless of how broken he was, how broken he always would be. She helped ease the pain he was sure he would feel for the rest of his life; she made him feel as if he belonged; she made him feel like him. There was no one else in the world—no other female in the world—that Bucky could ever see himself being with. He knew he belonged with Marlena; he could feel that he belonged with Marlena, and it gave him comfort knowing that she was the only one for him.

Bucky watched as she continued to sleep, raising a hand to move a stray piece of hair that had fallen in her face. He let out a sigh as he ran the pad of his thumb over the soft skin of her cheek bone, his blue eyes seeming to glow with an endless amount of love and admiration for the small girl laying in front of him.

"Bucky?" she spoke quietly, her voice still slightly hoarse from the incident earlier.

"Mhm."

Marlena's eyes remained shut as she reached out for him, and Bucky smiled before pulling her closer. She rested her head on his chest as she normally did, her grip around his upper torso tightening in a protective notion. Bucky wrapped his arms tightly around her body, holding her as close as he possibly could. Laying in bed with her proved to be Bucky's favorite part of the day, and it was the same for Marlena. The two just enjoyed being together—being close to one another.

"Are you feeling better?" Bucky asked as he ran his hand up and down her covered back.

Marlena let out a small groan and shook her head. "If anything, I feel worse."

"You definitely sound worse," Bucky sighed. "Maybe you shouldn't speak, Mar. That may help the healing process."

"But I can't talk to you if I stop speaking," she muttered.

Bucky chuckled. "Mental communication."

She opened her eyes and looked up at him, her eyes brightening automatically at the sight of him. "We both know I'm too lazy to hold a mental conversation, even with you. I think I'll stick to the verbal aspect of speaking if that's okay with you."

"And what if it's not?" Bucky teased, a smile on his face as he looked down at her.

Marlena simply smiled and pulled herself up just enough to press a kiss to his lips before laying back down. "Think you could continue doing that thing where you rub my back?"

"Hmm, you're so needy," Bucky replied before moving his hand to her back, placing it under her shirt to continue his previous activities.

"And you're the best," Marlena breathed out as she got comfortable again.

Bucky merely chuckled in response and situated himself in a comfortable position in bed, his hand moving up and down her back gently. The two lay in silence for several minutes, and Bucky was sure she had fallen back to sleep until she spoke again five minutes later.