Unlimited || Bucky Barnes

The Morning After

After some time of Bucky drawing me closer to his chest, I eventually gave in and laid my head in his lap. He continued to stroke my hair while finishing the first season of Friends, and I was at peace with myself enough to fall asleep.

His hands were gentle, contrasting from his exterior appearance. Metal arm, big beefy body, scruffy face, long hair. All those things add up together to make someone who seems more like a neck breaker than a hair stroker. I tried not to purr like a cat, but the way he ran his fingers through my hair, weaving in and out, made it almost impossible not to.

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(Bucky's pov)

Her eyes were still kind of puffy and her cheeks were still flushed. A good night's rest would probably fix that, and that's just what she needed.

I was almost to the end of the first season of Friends when Darby laid her head in my lap. I really like this Joey guy and his catchphrase. I came to the conclusion that Darby had good taste in entertainment. I was really looking forward to the five maroons, or something like that.

I placed a hand on her head, expecting her to flinch. Luckily, she didn't, so I continued to run circles with my thumbs on her scalp and graze an open hand through her soft locks. Her body seemed to relax and I was finally relieved. Her eyes were fixed on the tv, but after petting her head and rubbing the little spot behind her ears a few times, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. She was laying on her side, head in the middle of the couch, which happened to be where my thighs were. I laid back and shut my eyes slowly, still running my fingers through her hair.

A couple hours and quite a few episodes later, someone knocked on the door.

"It's open," I whispered, trying to be loud enough for them to hear me through the door, but not loud enough to wake Darby up.

Steve and Sam walked in prominently, footsteps echoing in the room. I quickly held a finger up to my lips and pointed to Darby, who was still resting on me. They stopped and switched their footing to a light tiptoe and moved closer to the couch.

"How is she doing?" Steve asked, fixating on Darby.

"She's doing better, I think. She had a little episode last night where she was too afraid to touch me. That nightmare she had before really did something to her," I explained.

"But she's touching you now?" Sam furrowed his brows.

"I know, but we talked and she's okay now," I grinned and placed her hair behind her ear.

Sam looked at Steve and exchanged a funny look, and then glanced back at me.

"You have a thing for her, don't you?" Sam smirked.

"No, of course not. She's just as broken as I am, and she really needed someone to hang on to. A shoulder to cry on, you know?" I explained.

"Alrighty then Buck," Steve grinned, shaking his head.

I paused and glanced up at Steve and Sam. Steve crossed his arms and Sam observed the room.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We need you for a mission. We have a lead on where the next Hydra base is being set up. We're going to go and check it out, hopefully stop them from starting anything in the first place," Steve gestured quietly.

"What? I can't leave Darby. She needs me. She won't be as comfortable around here without me, Steve," I flustered. Darby shifted and I rocked my knees back and forth until she stopped.

"I know Bucky, but we really need to you to come with us on this trip. What about if we leave her with Natasha? Maybe she might be more comfortable with another girl," he paused and looked to Sam, and then back to me.

"What do you think Bucky?" Sam quietly questioned.

I looked down at Darby and pursed my lips. I guess Natasha wouldn't be the worst option.

"Okay. But a couple things. I'll wake her up and I want some hot chocolate ready for her, she loves hot chocolate. I also want Tony to stay as far away from her as possible while I'm gone," I sternly told them while looking down as Darby's face. The swelling under her eyes had subsided. Her cheeks were also back to their normal color, revealing the light freckles that sprinkled across her face.

They both nodded their heads and walked towards the door.

"Wait," I called out to them.

Steve and Sam turned on their heels before going out through the door frame.

"Have you guys ever heard of Maroon 5?"