I'll Protect You, I Promise

Visitor

The phone that was resting on the coffee table lit up the dark room.

Shit

Bucky reached out to grab the phone, he was careful not to wake Steve. The screen had a notification, though it was not the one Bucky wanted. A text from Natasha. He opened the phone to read it.

I'm outside. Is the key still in the same place?

Bucky pouted. Of course, Nat had to come over now. Of all the times in the world.

Yeah. 

Steve's asleep. If he wakes up bc of you, you die.

He let the phone fall on the carpet. 

Surely after a minute, the door was opened by Natasha who was balancing a brown paper bag and a tray of smoothies. She smiled as she kicked the door shut and winced when it close with a small bang. She placed the bag and smoothies on the counter.

 Bucky held his glare the whole time until she picked up a chair and carried right behind Bucky's end of the couch. She sat in the chair and started to braid the man's hair. He wanted to protest, but he knew that any sign of struggle would wake Steve.

Natasha started by pulling the middle section of his hair up. Then on each side, she made a braid and she added those braids to the ponytail. She tapped his head signalling that she was done. He didn't move.

She frowned. "Really? No thanks?" She whispered.

"Shut up," Bucky muttered back.

Nat gestured at the blank tv screen and then at the remote. Bucky nodded his head. Nat turned the tv to a mind-numbing cooking show, just loud enough that Steve wouldn't be disturbed but they could talk.

"His eyes are puffy. What happened was it a sad movie?" Nat asked.

Bucky shook his head, "I'd prefer not to say."

"That's fair." She looked around the apartment, her eyes lingering on the half-finished dinner. "So what have you two been up to lately."

"Oh, just this and that." Bucky narrowed his eyes, "Is everything okay with you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Nat, you can't lie to me."

She huffed, "I'm just worried about the two of you."

Bucky raised an eyebrow, "You are?"

She smiled, "Don't tell him that, but I'm pretty sure he knows." She paused pulling Bucky's head back so she could look at his face. "Okay, somethings up, you look like a love-struck teenage girl."

"All he ever wanted to do was help people and he's never stopped helping people," Bucky said. He smiled fondly at the man sprawled out on top of him.

"You've never stopped loving him?" Nat asked, but she never meant it to be a question, she always knew the answer. Either one would do just about anything to save the other. She had seen it on many occasions.

"No, I never did."

"It's good to see you smile," Nat remarked.

"Maybe you'll use your face like this without a purpose."

"In another life, maybe." She looked back at the dining table, "Hey, can I steal some food?"

Bucky nodded and turned his attention back to Steve. Even after crying for so long he still looked beautiful. He was convinced that Steve would always look perfect, after all, he was an angel, at least he was to bucky.

"Stop it," Nat said from the table. Bucky turned, giving her a confused look. "Oh, you know what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't"

"You oblivious-"She sighed, "Are you not aware that you make heart eyes at him every time you so much as glance at him?"

Bucky shifts and looked down at Steve. He could feel the heat in his cheeks, but he didn't mind. Nat would have known one way or the other. She was right. He was sure of it, whether he had seen it himself, he scarcely looked in the mirror.

He knew she was right by the way he felt. It was warm and fuzzy, yet it sent chills down his spine. He felt at peace and still, his heart was always racing. He knew by the way people looked at the two of them on the street. He knew she was right because they slept in the same bed, had their toothbrushes in the same cup, had their meals together, watched tv late into the night together, they went on walks together. They did everything that was expected of a 'couple', though for the two of them doing the small things was no less trivial than saving the earth was to other people. It meant more for it was what they would have had if nothing had ever happened.

"You two are adorable." Nat voiced as she swallowed a forkful of spaghetti. "You know if you ever need someone to officiate, I know some people."

Bucky flushed a deep crimson. "Um, Tasha, that's not, uh, necessary. But one day." Bucky stuttered.

Natasha smiled triumphantly. "You have a dishwasher, right? Please say yes."

"Yeah."

"Oh good." She piled the plates on top of each other. "Cause, I'm going to clean up for you."

She got up, balancing a stack of dishware in one hand and stacking glasses in the other. Gracefully she carried them over to the counter space close to the sink. She started by washing them with water and placed the dished in the dishwasher. Her eyes never left Bucky and Steve. 

She had known for a while, from the very first time that Steve figured out that Bucky was alive. She knew the first time that Bucky had ever told her about the person from his past. He never mentioned names or pronouns, but for a spy in training, it hadn't been that hard to read him. It was all in the eyes and she had always been good at reading eyes.

When she was done she raided the refrigerator. "You have nothing in here. Shame on you."

"What are you looking for?"

"Wine, vodka, grape juice? You only have water." She pouted, "I'm disappointed in you."

She rustled around the fridge, "Oh hey look. You have milk." She said in a deadpan voice. 

"You're welcome to go buy something. You have legs, I suggest you use them." Bucky replied, voice equally blank.

"Okay."

She headed for the door, "I have the spare key, so if anyone else comes by, they won't be able to get in." She paused, "And I'll be crashing on the couch for tonight."

"Wait, help me move Steve off of me," Bucky called out, but it was too late the door had already closed. Bucky groaned. "Dammit."

Then carefully he lifted Steve off of him. In the attempt to move him a sharp pain shot up his legs. It wasn't pain, more like a numbing sensation that spread from his feet up his legs. He frowned at Steve if he hadn't fallen asleep he could have gotten up. He quickly rolled out from under Steve, landing with a soft thump. 

He closed his eyes, but he recalled what Nat had said. "Shit, she's staying the night?"