Sunrise | Bucky Barnes x Reader

I Could Never Give You Peace

You should have asked for help getting Bucky back to the jet. He tried not to lean his full weight on you but he was tired and needy and slowed you down more than you would have liked.

Halfway to the landing site, you needed a rest, propping Bucky up against a tree as hidden from view as you could get.

"Are you okay?" You asked, instantly regretting the stupid question. Of course he wasn't okay.

He was silent for a moment, the only sounds cutting through the quiet air were that of distant gunfire and a few birds rustling in the leaves above you.

"I will be," Bucky murmured, so quietly you almost missed it. "Thank you. For coming for me." He added, his pink lips trembling as he peered at you with glistening eyes. You moved to crouch beside him, tentatively holding his face in your hand.

"Always, Bucky. Even Captain America couldn't stop me coming to get you."

Bucky brought his flesh hand up to yours before pulling you down to his lap by your waist and you wrapped your arms around his neck, burying your face into his chest. You held onto each other like that for what must have only been a few minutes but felt like an eternity, finding comfort in the moment of solace you'd been given in the woods.

"I don't deserve you."

Bucky spoke so quietly, you missed most of what he said, his words getting lost in the breeze.

"What was that, Buck?"

"I said, I don't deserve you. Or you deserve more than me. Whichever way you want to put it."

With a confused frown on your face, you peered up at him. "What?"

"It's my fault you're mixed up in all this, Y/N. You were safe, you had a good job that you were torn away from, against your will, because I needed babysitting. You deserve someone stable and not, well, me. I think it might be best if when we're back home-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, James."

Bucky flinched at the use of his given name, you had never called him that before. Calling him James mixed with the anger and hurt in your voice was enough to make him hang his head in shame and defeat. "Y/N... please just hear me out."

"No. I will not accept you breaking up with me because you think I deserve better. I'll tell you what I deserve. I deserve a kind, gentle, thoughtful man. A man who enjoys reading fantasy novels and listening to jazz like it's going out of fashion and who puts so much syrup on his pancakes I'm surprised he hasn't lost a damn tooth. I deserve a man who steals my guacamole and drags a boat across the compound grounds only for it to sink in the lake. I deserve the bravest soldier I've ever met. And you, Sergeant Barnes. You deserve to be happy."

A silence fell between you as Bucky searched your teary eyes, his own face now tear-stained.

"Y/N, for as long as you're with me, I could never give you peace."

"I'm not asking for peace, Bucky. I knew what I was getting into when I fell for you and I never expected peace. If peace is what you want, then we work towards it. Together." You breathed, taking his face in your hands again. "Now stop being an idiot and kiss me." 

Bucky did as he was told, capturing your lips in a sweet kiss. It held a promise of love and commitment that he wasn't going to risk breaking, not now. Not ever.

"Well isn't this lovely."

Bucky pulled away from you and took a deep breath, Alex's taunting voice stirring up the anger inside him.