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Chapter 12

The rest of the plane ride was exhausting. Sam, Bucky and Jo had all found their own ways of passing the time, Sam slept most of the time in between his fiddling around with Red-Wing. Bucky had written a few things down in his notebook, similar to the one Steve toted around everywhere with him and occasionally, making fun of Sam and his toy. The two would bicker for a few minutes before Jo would reign them back in and they'd go quiet. Jo noticed that Bucky had hardly slept the whole flight. Occasionally, closing his eyes, but after a few minutes opening them and returning to his notebook. Deep down she knew the reason he wasn't sleeping, but she didn't want to push the subject with Sam around.

Jo found her time, reading her copy of Fahrenheit 451, dozing off between sessions of Bucky and Sam's fighting and snacking on whatever she could find. She would start to pick at her bottom lip with her fingers, her knee bounced up and down slightly, as her anxiety over what would happen in the next few days would start to creep its way back in. It only would last for a few minutes as Bucky would notice and sit next to her, resting his hand on her knee giving it a soft squeeze and a look that would be all reassuring and comforting at once before placing soft kiss on her temple when Sam was preoccupied. This was repeated a few times as Germany grew closer.

They had finally landed in Berlin and were headed to the hotel where they'd be staying. Sam and Torres had their own room, while Bucky and Jo had their own room. Sam wiggled his eyebrows at Bucky as he handed him the room key to which Bucky glared at him as Jo giggled. "If you two create a little cyborg baby, you better name it Sam." He joked as they parted their ways, Bucky and Jo, both flipping him off simultaneously.

"He's a dick." Bucky muttered.

"Yeah, but he means well."

She could feel the eye roll he gave her as he unlocked the door and pushed it open. "I need sleep." She sighed as they both stopped at the foot of the single queen-sized bed. The two shared a glance, "Sam." they said in unison as Jo let out a small laugh. "Well, its not like we haven't slept together before." She took a seat on the edge of the bed, Bucky shooting her a look. "I—" She stammered realizing what she had said, "I mean like... falling asleep together." Her cheeks were bright pink at this point as she let out a shaky breath.

"Relax, Doll. I'm just messing with you." He grinned, shrugging off his leather jacket and laying it on the desk chair. "I can take the floor, if you aren't comfortable sharing the bed." Jo looked up at him, shaking her head after a moment.

"No, its okay. We can share." She smiled up at him before focusing on unlacing her boots, kicking them off and peeling her own jacket off. She laid it over his own before grabbing her bag. "I'm gonna get changed, I need to get out of these jeans." Bucky cleared his throat and nodded with a smile as she headed into the bathroom. Jo shut the door behind her, as she stared at herself in the mirror, the bags under her eyes were dark, her waves were messy and the ponytail she had her hair pulled back into was no longer taut on the back of her head. Letting out a sigh she pulled her hair down, letting her loose curls fall over her shoulders. After changing into an old baggy t-shirt and shorts she pulled the door open and rounded the corner.

She stopped as Bucky was faced away from her, his shirt tossed to the floor as he sat on the edge of the bed. Hearing the door open, he turned towards her, his mouth hung slightly taking her in. She stared for a moment as the muscles on his back that rippled when he turned to her. Realizing she was probably staring for a bit too long; her eyes met his. They stared for a moment, a fire behind his eyes that she knew he was trying to hide with his straight face. Jo finally broke the gaze, setting her bag down onto the desk that was pushed into the corner of the room. Neither of them saying anything as Bucky stood up turning towards her and began peeling back his side of the comforter and sheets, tossing all but one pillow onto the floor. Jo watched him for a moment before pulling back her side of the covers and climbing into the bed, laying on her back after adjusting the pillow.

She could feel the bed dip as he did the same, both staring up at the ceiling, hands at their sides. Bucky rolled his head to the side to look at her, her curls were spread across the pillow, and he could tell she was exhausted. Jo finally turned her head, her eyes meeting his as he flashed her small smile before she turned on her side, running her fingers along the metal grooves of his arm. He watched her, unsure of her motives as she caressed each indentation and divot. Her fingers continued up his arm, to his shoulder where she stopped. Jo's eyes meeting his once more silently asking permission. James gave her a slight nod as her fingers continued to where metal met flesh.

Shuri had done her best to remove the old scar tissue that littered his shoulder, but there were still marks along the border. Jo traced each one with the lightest touch of her fingers causing Bucky to close his eyes softly.

"Do they hurt?" She whispered as he opened his eyes to the sound of her voice. It had been the first time she had seen him without a shirt since before he left for Wakanda. When he returned, he mostly wore long sleeves and gloves when they were in public and rarely wore short sleeve shirts unless they were in the comfort of her apartment. He was insecure about the little reminders that stained his body like tattoos from a different life and she didn't blame him.

Bucky shrugged softly and shook his head. "Most of the time? No. I forget they're there until we get snow. That's usually when I feel them ache the most." Jo nodded softly as she continued to trace them. He had never felt like this before, her soft skin adorning his calloused body. At first it made him tense, but as she touched him, his body relaxed. Blessing his skin with hers, even if it was at the mercy of her fingertips. Jo noticed he had closed his eyes once more, she brought her hand to her cheek, pressing it between it and the pillow as his eyes opened to look at her.

"Why did you stop?" He asked softly.

"I didn't want to push it." She said timidly.

"You weren't." James smiled at her.

Jo studied his face for a moment, he wasn't uncomfortable, in fact this was probably the most comfortable she'd ever seen him, next to the night they spent on the couch. This was more intimate and he was being vulnerable with her. She pulled her hand from her cheek and began tracing the vibranium once more as he turned onto his side, the metal shoulder now under him as she took his cool hand in hers. Comparing the size of her hand to his as he watched her carefully. She was admiring him, he thought as a small appreciative smile graced his lips. Noticing, Jo smiled back. "What?" Her voice hushed.

James brought is warm hand to her cheek, tucking a few strands of her curls behind her ear. It was one of the smaller things he did that was her favorite. The butterflies began to return as she leaned forward softly, tugging his cool hand to her lips as she planted a gentle kiss to the back of it. "Nothing." He whispered, smiling softly as his warm hand traced along her shoulder, then down to her arm and under her sleeve where it rested, holding her shoulder as he watched her embrace his darkness.

The truth was, Jo never blamed him for anything he did as the Winter Soldier. She never hated him for the things he did and never resented him for it. She understood that he did not have a choice, that it wasn't his choice for seventy plus years. He loved Jo, but he had never explored the idea that he might be in love with her. James felt her fingers intertwine with his metal ones as her eyes fluttered close, the exhaustion taking over. He returned the gentle kiss to the back of her own hand, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips, but eyes still closed.

Bucky watched her as she fell asleep, laying next to him. Holding the part of him he hated most, not being scared in the least bit of him. A few minutes passed, his eyes still on her as she let out a soft mewl in her slumber, shifting slightly as she pulled his hand closer and nestled her cheek against it, the metal not seeming to bother her warm skin. Dipping his head close to hers, he could feel her breath against his skin. His eyes began to feel heavy as his own exhaustion began to take over, eventually giving in and shutting all together.

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ooooooo, someone's falling and falling hard.