find me

4. new home

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! I've been a bit busy with uni and stuff (ugh). Hope you enjoy!! Also, thank you for reading and be safe!!
Mary xx

~

Natalie could feel the sun kissing the back of her neck, slowly waking her up from her dreams. She took a long yawn and blinked a couple of times.
The room was all lit up by the sun, the white curtains only slightly filtrating its strong rays.

She was quite excited to start her day but decided to enjoy the warm embrace of the covers on her body a little longer. She started to reminisce about the night before, her thoughts wandered as she cuddled in the light duvet.

The intensity of the instant connection with Bucky scared her to death. Every time they locked eyes or he'd accidentally brush his hand against hers while taking a slice of pizza, she'd feel pure electricity running through her veins. As a strike of lightning shot through her entire body.
When he comforted her and held her shoulder as she cried, or when he showed her the guest room and they slightly bumped into each other at the top of the stairs; or again when he timidly hugged her goodnight before going to his bedroom across the hallway. Every time they touched something inside of her sparked. It was a strange sensation, something she'd never felt before, not at that magnitude anyway. It was like from the first time she saw him, something clicked. She wasn't really sure what it was but it was there now and as hard as she tried, she couldn't ignore it.

A smile slowly crept on her face.
If it wasn't for Bucky she might have ended up in a hostel, sharing the bedroom with other eight random people. Not that she wasn't prepared to face it, but it was nice to have had a first night away in a place where she could actually be comfortable. He was so generous, and understanding, even after admitting she had run away from her family. Not everyone would have opened their house to a stranger, especially one on the run.

Still, the gravity of her situation held her back from telling him the whole truth. She felt guilty while he was comforting her, knowing that what she told was only part of the story. She wasn't ready to share all of it. Bucky was still basically a stranger. Maybe he wasn't a bad person, but that didn't mean she could trust him regardless.
She never trusted people that easily anyway. And even when she could bringer herself to trust them, she still had secrets she needed to keep from anyone around her.

Or so she thought.

She moved slowly out of bed, stretching her arms to the ceiling, as the oversized t-shirt she was wearing as pajama slightly brushed over her thighs. She picked up some sweatpants and put her long hair into a messy bun.

She felt a soft meow coming from under the bed, she crouched and looked, seeing Alpine elegantly laying on the wooden floor, licking her snow white paw.

"Hi there, you must be Alpine." The cat meowed in response.
"Well nice to meet you, Alpine." The cat took a stretch and closed her eyes, opening her mouth in a big yawn.
"Good morning to you too." Natalie let out a laugh and stood up.

As she left her room, Natalie checked on the other side of the corridor and saw Bucky's door still closed.
She let out a sigh and went downstairs, as silently as she could.
The morning light hitting the living room through the windows looked beautiful, even prettier than the day before.
She started to move around the kitchen and prepared breakfast: a couple of scrambled eggs and toasts with butter and jam. She then poured herself a cup of coffee, all the while quietly singing under her breath.

... I look at you and I can't disguise...

"That smells good." she turned around and saw Bucky walking across the living room, a broad smile stretching his sleepy face and reaching his eyes. He was wearing a plain black tee and some sweatpants; by the look of it, the same clothes he slept in. He looked different with the clean clothes and the washed hair, almost glowing.
"Do you mind if I join?" His morning voice was low and raspy, almost like a growl.