This Is Stella's Reality

November 1, 2014

Bucky's fingers playing with my hair pulled me from my dreams. It was early morning, and my eyes fluttered against the bright yellow light that streamed through the curtains.

Birds sang outside. I stretched, yawning and moving to look at Bucky. He smiled at me, "Morning, doll." Sleep was still present in his eyes. They drooped with fatigue. He looked so cute this early in the morning.

The sun bounced from his healthy curls. They shined and swooped against the soft light that haloed around our heads. His eyes were pools of pale blue, reflecting the golden hue of the morning.

I pressed a kiss to his cheek, admiring the way his beard tickled my nose. He captured my lips and pulled me closer against his chest.

I loved mornings like this. Lazy, sleepy, and cozy in each other's arms. But a part of me burned with rage. Hydra stood in the way of this being every morning. These were rare happenings. Most mornings we awoke alone and in our own beds. Kept away by the inability to actually be together. They would crumble. I was sure of it.

Bucky's arms held my back, moving to lean over me. He had likely sensed my wandering thoughts. Sometimes I felt as if he could read my mind. He was intuitive and always able to tell what I was thinking.

He pulled away for a moment and rested his forehead against mine, "Stop thinking about burning Hydra to the ground, and just make out with me."

I huffed a laugh against his lips and smiled. My fingers buried into his hair and pulled his back down for another kiss. He hummed, satisfied with my response.

His hands roamed my body, gliding along the divets of my waist and hips. He gripped my thigh, pushing up the hem of the large t-shirt I had thrown on the night before. His lips moved to kiss down my jawline and bite at my neck.

My nails traced patterns along his back which made him shiver under the sensation. He continued kissing down my skin. His breath was warm as it waterfalled through the dips of my body.

A sigh escaped my lips and disappeared into the hazy morning sun that flooded the white walls of Bucky's room and turned them into gilded gold.

He moved back to my lips, colliding against me once more. His thumb caressed my thigh and inched closer to my clit. He swallowed the moan that tumbled out of me and smiled against my lips as he pushed inside of me.

My body was not yet awake enough. The sensation was too overwhelming. I trembled under him, and blood rushed through my ears. I pulled away from him, overwhelmed.

I stared up at him with blurry eyes, hopelessly devoted to him and head over heels in love.

His eyes held mine and something flickered through his face that made my heart swell. He pressed a kiss to my forehead as he quickened the pace. Sweat had formed against his hairline, and he looked so handsome as the sun glittered off of him.

Breathlessly, we came at the same time. I felt like dead weight. Bucky collapsed beside me, panting against my cheek.

"Sergeant Barnes?" JARVIS's voice startled me back to life. Bucky jumped next to me.

He huffed, "Yeah?"

"You have a priority call from Agent Barton. Shall I put him through?"

Bucky looked at me. He held his finger to his lips, motioning for me to be silent. I smiled at him as he responded, "Yeah, go ahead."

Clint sounded as if he were driving. The roar of the traffic around him created static in the speaker. He was yelling over the wind, "Hey, bud. Nat and I got an early Christmas gift for ya."

"Oh yeah?" Bucky's eyebrows were furrowed deep in confusion. His eyes stared at me, asking if I bad any clue what Clint meant. I didn't.

Clint laughed, barely audible through the wind that continued to crackle through, "Yeah, we're declining a mission. Giving it to you and Stel. You'll have fun."

Bucky was silent for a while. A mission? You'll have fun? He adjusted his position on the bed, "What do you mean?"

"Fury is sending the file to you soon. Rich guy in France is throwing a party. SHIELD thinks he's a Hydra guy. Attend the party, steal a little info, have a little fun, fly home. Easy." Clint paused to laugh, "You guys will have fun. You can pretend to be a little more than friends for a while. I know how much you like her," Bucky's cheeks flushed pink, and he looked away from me, "so think of this as a gift from us to you."

Bucky cleared his throat, "Thanks, Clint."

"No problem-o, my guy. Alright, catch you later." Clint hung up, leaving us in silence.

I know how much you like her.

My face was probably as flushed as his. Butterflies fluttered with every breath I took. He laughed suddenly, shaking his head and looking at his fingers with sudden interest.

I smiled at him, "You told the guys you like me?"

He sucked his teeth, and his tongue stroked the inside of his cheek. He was pointedly not looking at me, "Like you and Nat don't talk about the same shit."

I laughed, cuddling my head against his chest, "We do."

Our quiet confessions were once again interrupted by JARVIS. He had the files from Fury. My phone beeped on the night stand. It was Nat, "Did Clint call Bucky?"

"Yeah."

"Are you in bed with him?"

"...Yeah."

"Thought so. You're welcome. Have fun, lovebirds."

I laughed at the thought of Clint and Natasha discussing whether or not to pass this mission to us. It seemed easy enough. Gather intel, attend a party, leave.

Bucky sighed, resting his head against the cushions, "We have to fly to DC tomorrow. We've got fittings at SHIELD, and we leave in three days." He rolled over to cup my face with his hand, "So, we get about four days to ourselves, doll." There was a smile on his face, genuine and happy. My heart swelled.

Four days with Bucky alone in hotel rooms and France where we could pretend to be together.

A smile tugged at my lips, "What are we going to get Clint and Nat that's as good as a Christmas gift as this?"

He laughed, "Good question, doll."

He pulled the blankets back over us and held me close to his chest. The morning sun was soaring higher into the sky. Bucky clicked the TV on and muttered into my hair, "Let's do nothing today."