Doll. // Bucky Barnes X OC

TWELVE

Melany stirred awake, her head throbbing immediately. She groaned softly, rubbing her eyes before coming to her surroundings. She adjusted to the dark room, looking over and seeing Bucky sound asleep. He was on his back, his chest rising and falling slowly. She rolled onto her side, ignoring her head and watched him for a moment.

She wanted to lean over and kiss him, show some kind of affection. They'd never talked about any boundaries really other than that it was just sex. What would it mean for them if they took it further? Would he actually want to?

When the pounding got worse, she rolled out of bed, quietly opening his door and crossing the hallway into her bedroom. She stripped out of his shirt, putting on a tank top and a pair of shorts. She walked into her bathroom, turning on the light and squinted her eyes, feeling her head even more. She rummaged through her cabinets, looking for anything she could take that would subside it. She groaned when she couldn't find anything, knowing she'd have to go downstairs.

She walked out into the hallway, traversing down the stairs, and into the kitchen. It was dark, the only light coming from the fridge when she opened it. She grabbed a water bottle, closed the fridge quietly and twisted the cap off.

"I saw you go into his room."

She looked up, startled. She put her hand on her chest, her head continuing to pound. "Steve, what the hell? You scared the shit out of me."

"That wasn't my intention," He said, walking through the doorway. "Are you going to answer me?" He leaned against the island, arms crossed - not blocking her but not moving either. "I just... wanted to understand."

She let out a short laugh. "That's new."

His jaw tightened. "You don't have to do that."

"Do what?"

"Act like I'm the enemy."

She stepped past him toward the medicine cabinet. "You made yourself the enemy the second you let Sharon onto that jet."

"This isn't about Sharon."

"It always comes back to her," Melany said flatly, popping the pills into her mouth. "So if you're here to lecture me, save it."

He watched her for a moment too long. "You don't even know what you're stepping into with Bucky."

She turned, eyes sharp. "Don't."

"He's not stable, Mel. He's—"

"You don't get to warn me about damage you helped create."

Silence stretched between them.

Steve exhaled, rubbing a hand over his face. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"But it did," she said. "And you don't get to stand here and judge how I deal with it."

His voice dropped. "Are you with him?"

"That's none of your business."

He stepped closer, despite himself. "You were my girlfriend."

"And you were my best friend!" She shot back. "You don't get to be angry that I didn't fall apart the way you wanted me to."

His expression flickered - hurt, then frustration. "I still love you."

She shook her head, a humorless smile tugging at her lips. "You don't get to say that like it fixes anything."

"I'm trying," he insisted. "I hate this back and forth. I don't know what I'm doing with her—"

"Then why are you sleeping with her?"

He bristled. "You don't get to ask me that."

"I do," Melany said quietly. "Because every time you feel rejected by me, you run back to her. And I'm done being part of that."