Found ⭑ A Bucky Barnes Love Story

31 - Please don't cry

*Several days later*

The sun poured in through the thin curtains of Bucky's bedroom, casting a beam of warm light across Hazel's cheek and transforming her brown hair into decadent streams of flowing honey. As her eyes fluttered open, the familiar weight in her chest returned, overtaking her senses in a heartbeat. Her eyes began to flicker across the room as she took in the space surrounding her, pale hands subconsciously gripping a fistful of the soft blanket covering her body.

The window had been left slightly ajar, allowing the semi-translucent curtains to flutter elegantly over a gentle stream of wind. Even in their inanimate state, the pieces of fine material emitted a tranquil ambiance, comparative to that of Hazel's pernicious mind frame. Bucky was fast asleep to her right, a few dark strands of his hair just barely grazing his cheekbones and his soft pink lips parted slightly as he lay peacefully. His calm and cordial presence contrasted against Hazel's frantic manner, a solid rock in the middle of a sand storm.

She kept her eyes fixed on him, waiting a few seconds before deciding to wake him. She didn't want to disturb him, she really, truly didn't, but without him awake, she could already feel the fear escalating inside of her. Ever since witnessing Ally pass, observing Bucky sleeping absolutely terrified the girl. She could never be one hundred percent sure that he would open his eyes again, and the thought petrified her. When he was awake, she knew that he was there. She could talk to him, touch him and be in the moment with him, but when he was asleep, it haunted her, knowing that Ally never woke up.

She parted her lips to let out a quiet word as she laid her hand carefully on Bucky's shoulder, a voiceless breath coming out instead of his name. She gently shook him, scanning his face as she did so.

"Hey," she managed to choke out, voice wobbly from its underuse over the previous days. When he didn't respond, her anxiety escalated, brows knitting together and body shaking. She placed a second hand on his shoulder, this time shaking him with double the force.

"B...Bucky," she spoke louder this time, a panic-stricken tone escaping her. Hazel's breathing became laboured as she trembled in distress, terror surging through her veins and a familiar sting beginning to jab at her skull. Just as she was about to reach breaking point, she watched two ocean blue eyes flutter open slowly, expression drowsy but still amicable as always. As Bucky registered what was happening, his face dropped and he rubbed his eyes.

"Hey, hey, it's alright Hazel, I'm here," he let the words out all in one breath, sitting up quickly and leaning forward towards Hazel. She sat uneasily, shaking like a leaf and allowing a few tears to escape her bloodshot eyes.

"Doll," he dropped his voice into a lower register and extended his hand out to softly place it on hers. He hummed and began to rub slow circles on her hand with his thumb in an attempt to calm her.

"Shhhhhhh," he flicked his eyes up, locking his gaze with hers and raising his chin, all while continuing to caress her skin. Her stare was fixed on the wall, her head empty and her heart unfeeling. Her brown eyes were exhausted and despondent from grief, agonizing memories sending searing jolts of fire through her veins and numbing her to the point of feeling emotionless. Bucky's eyes softened and crinkled at the corners as he let out a deep sigh.

He removed his hand from hers hesitantly before stretching both of his arms out widely, quickly opening and closing his hands in a grabbing motion. Hazel closed her eyes and collapsed limply into his embrace, leaving him frantically moving to catch her as she landed against his chest. He quickly swaddled her in a blanket and enfolded her body in his strong arms, bringing her head to rest snug under his chin and her legs in his lap. He sighed and wound his arms carefully around her waist, rubbing circles on her back as he began to pepper kisses across her temple.