BLACK AND WHITE | BUCKY BARNES x OC

part seven

Leila POV

It's been two weeks since I last saw Steve and the team. It's been a rough couple of days recently, waking up around 2am clutching my chest like a heart attack after having Bucky in my dreams. Some nights they are as sweet as wine, dreaming of Bucky and his lips on mine; and other nights I dream of his darker side. This needs to stop.

I push myself from the bed and smooth my hands out on the side where Steve should be. But he's not. I sigh and stand up from the bed and drag my feet outside the bedroom and into the living room.

Before we even got married Steve and I decided to move in together to feel it out. We are in central New York City and close to all my favorite places, especially food.

The apartment is more so a penthouse with the view we have and our own rooftop with a small garden. It's beautiful and Steve definitely wanted me to have the view of the city.

Before meeting Steve I was living in Chicago. Four years ago to be exact. I moved here on a whim for something new after getting my degree from Loyola University. That's when I bumped into Steve while out running. I did my same 6am Saturday morning run near the East river lakefront trail and there he was, running past me many times, screaming "on your left".

It was after the third time he said that when I decided to speed up and try to catch up to him. He can hear my shuffled steps and slowed down, taking an earpiece out of his ear and turning around, seeing me catch up to him.

"You run really fast," I say breathlessly. I can't tell the colors of his hair or eyes but the way he smiles, it brightens his features. I haven't seen color all my life and at this moment I hoped it would be with him. He's insanely handsome and his build is twice the size of me. His chest is where my head meets when we're standing in front of each other.

"I see you run this a few times a week," He responds. He continues to smile and catches my eye. There's a twinkle in his iris as he takes me in. I'm nothing special but I do try to keep in shape; mainly since I'm the only one from my friends and family that's in New York. I need to be able to defend myself from any kind of situation. He registers my sweaty hair that's pulled up into a high ponytail and my 5 foot 2 inch frame. I have some curves from my mom and I get the rest of my features from my dad.

"Yeah," I say. "I think I've seen you around too. I'm Leila." I hold out my hand and he takes it. My hand is half the size of his and he shakes it gently, as if scared to break my hand.

"Nice to meet you, Leila. I'm Steve. Steve Rogers." He waits a little until the realization hits me. I have seen him around. Not just running this trail but a few years ago when the world was standing on its last leg, the Avenger's helped save us. It's been a few years since I heard anything else about these 'superheros' so I kind of forgot that they're real people.

"Steve, as in Captain America," I say slowly. He gives me a smile and nods. I don't do anything too crazy like I can imagine other people would. I didn't put much thought into the Avengers when everything was going on in New York. I was in Chicago and I was focusing on my degree. It wasn't until my professors cancelled all classes for a good two weeks as we heard what was going on in New York, Wakanda, and in space.

I look at him and add, "You're prettier in person."

I can see his smile grow bigger as he takes in my calm nature and motions for me to continue walking with him. We spend almost an hour learning about each other and it's like old friends catching up. I feel so comfortable with him that when he asks about my family I tell him about my parents passing away.

He tells me about his life, in the past and present, and I feel for him. He must miss the people he used to know back then and then suddenly waking up in another time period. It's heartbreaking. Something in me wonders if he ever found his soulmate in his other life and can see color. For some reason I get the courage to ask him.