Mending Hearts

ℂℍ𝔸ℙ𝕋𝔼ℝ 𝟛

𝕃𝕒𝕥𝕖 ℕ𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕊𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕨𝕓𝕖𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤

The heat didnt go down for a few days, or at night either, so some black, overly short, pyjama shorts and a sage green, tight spaghetti strap tank top is my sleepwear for the night. My music was playing loud enough to cover up my night time thoughts, and I was singing along while sketching a few tattoos on a page.

When the next song came on I dropped my pencil and started running around my room singing and dancing to one of my favourite songs, Mr. Brightside by The Killers. I didnt hear the faint knock on my door. Or the other 3 that followed. Or the sound of the door opening and the very faint whirring of a metal arm moving the door. I had no idea that the metal arm belongs to a certain storm-eyed soldier that managed to capture my interest, and that same person was watching me give a concert of my life to my empty room. Well what I thought was empty.

The song ended and I was slightly out of breath and quite sweaty but I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat. A slightly awkward "Uh hey" coming from my door startled me and I leapt 20 feet in the air (probably less like the Cheshire Cat and more like the ones scared of cucumber on youtube we've all watched at 2am).

"Holy shit! Oh sweet jesus riding a candy cane dont scare me like that Steve I've told you a million ti-" I was cut off when I found myself looking into Bucky's eyes. "Oh... hi Bucky. Sorry if I disturbed you, I'll turn my music down" I smiled at him, trying to ignore my clearly flustered state combined with my heaving like a pug in mid summer.

"Oh no it's fine... I uh- i knocked but I guess you didnt hear. I was wondering if um, if you were hungry? I was gonna get some food and saw you were up and um... yeah" he stumbled over his words, only making him more adorable in my eyes. WAIT WHAT!?!

I smiled at him, completely forgetting how embarrassed I was. "I could go for a midnight snack yeah, thanks." I turned my music off and nodded towards the door "so what does thee fancy good sir?" I say in a mock medieval accent, earning a puzzled look in return but I noticed the amusement behind his eyes.

He took a few steps out the room and let me close my door before answering, "I'm not sure what there is... or even how to find the kitchen really". I noticed how he kept keeping a couple feet between us  and a small part of me wanted him closer, but I respected his attention to personal space and made a mental note to let him have space when I'm around him.

"Well I could walk the way blindfolded and in my sleep so dont worry, you've got the best girl for the job of finding the kitchen" I joked. What I didnt expect was the chuckle that he let out. It wasnt a full laugh, but it was there and it rumbled in his chest quietly, but I heard it. And my heart skipped a beat. I smiled, hoping to hide the blush that rose on my cheeks from the sound. "As for food, theres pretty much anything in there. If theres something specific you want that's not, just write it on the whiteboard next to the fridge and you'll have it the next day"

"Huh... I cant really cook, what do you suggest?" We get to the kitchen and I stand I'm the middle, thinking about all the foods in different cupboard trying to plan a good midnight feast for him. The idea of all that food slightly overwhelms me, but I take a deep breath and move to the fridge.

"How about.... strawberries, whipped cream and ice cream?" I pull the fresh strawberries out and show him.

"Yeah" he gives a short reply, like when we first met. We havent spoken much the past few days, I hide in my room looking like E.T. or I'm with Nat and Wanda and Bucky keeps to himself. The occasional "hi" or small smiles have been thrown while passing eachother in corridors or in the training room but this is our first time actually spending time together, and we're alone.

I plate out the food for us and push his towards where hes sitting on a bar stool. He looks me in the eye and the moonlight cascading through the window brings out the flecks of silver in his eyes. They match my jewelry, making my heart skip a beat at the though. What is wrong with me? Stop getting like this over someone who's probably like the rest of them. But I cant bring myself to look away. It's like hes looking into my soul, past the brown with green highlights and seeing... me. The more I look the more I see the different shades, almost like the waves of an ocean hitting the shore, but theres something else. Something that makes my heart hurt for him. Theres pain. So much pain I want to ask him who dared to hurt someone like him.

Suddenly, he looks down and his food and I could've sworn I saw a tinge of pink on the apples of his cheeks. Its the poor lighting, dont even start on that, I curse myself. He takes a breathe and says a quiet "thank you" and takes it down the hallway to his room.

I'm stood rooted to the spot, wondering what just happened. Between our first real interaction, the eye contact, and the sudden departure I'm left feeling as though I've been spun around by a professional juggler at the fun fair. Get a hold of yourself woman, just go back to your room, inhale your food as normal, and carry on with your night.

In a daze, I make it to my room and eat the strawberries with whipped cream and drink the now-melted ice cream. I sit with my sketchpad until around 3am, just making up some random tattoos I'd get, or even just think are cool ideas.

Once in bed, I curl up under a thin blanket and rest my head on the cold fluffy pillow, wishing for sleep to fall upon me. But as usual, my wish gets twisted and it's not a good sleep, with only a nightmare to fill it.

So I've had a lot of support so I'm already posting a new chapter! I'm so excited about this book and hope everyone enjoys reading it as much as I do writing it.

Pls dont forget to vote, it helps me to be inspired to keep writing.

I'm also considering doing a few flashback scenes for the main character so ya'll can see why she is the way she is and why she might make certain decisions, lmk if you like the idea :)

Feel free to gimme nicknames for any of the characters in the book too, I love them and I'll try to include them where I can :)