Attachment Theory - Bucky BarnesxOC

Part 39: fade into you

18+ WARNING MINORS DNI

Anxiety is a terrible, insidious beast, and Alice has it in spades. It invades silently, without warning, blindsiding her even in her most blissful and serene moments.

One minute, she's fucking her boyfriend's brains out, and the next, she's running over the same conversation and the same catastrophic reactions a thousand times to the point of tears.

Bucky noticed after the phone call with Sapphire. They were watching the movie. He cracked a few jokes and she barely laughed. He moved her onto his lap, cradling her gently in his arms.

"It's going to be okay, Ali. Steve will understand."

"What about Tony?"

"Steve will make him understand. He's good at that stuff. When we were kids, he was always the diplomat. I punched first and asked questions later."

"Please don't punch Tony Stark."

"Don't worry, doll. I won't."

That night, she goes to sleep with Bucky's arms wrapped firmly around her waist. He refuses to let her go.

She dreams about all the ways that Sapphire's visit could go wrong. She dreams that the Winter Soldier is activated and wreaks havoc on the compound. Sapphire screaming, and then Sapphire dead on the floor. Along with Bucky, his body riddled with bullets, blood pooling out from beneath him like an ocean. She's screaming, on her knees. Alone.

Alice wakes up with a yelp, her heart in her throat, breathing heavily and covered in sweat. When she turns to look at him, his side of the bed is empty.

"Bucky?!"

The bathroom door opens and he emerges with a towel wrapped around his waist. His gorgeous hip bones stick out of the top, forming a perfect v. He's shaved his beard down to stubble again, cheekbones carved out in the low light. She can smell aftershave and soap drifting out of the bathroom along with the steam. For a second, Alice forgets all about the nightmare and the anxiety and just fucking stares at him. Fucking Adonis.

His hair is wet, water dripping down his shoulders and sculpted torso. It runs off of his dog tags and down his abs. Alice looks up at him, her mouth agape and terror in her eyes as the realization of the nightmare comes rushing back to her. Not even the sight of her gorgeous super soldier boyfriend can stop them from coming back.

Bucky doesn't even need to ask what's wrong. All he sees is the look on her face and he instantly knows. It's instinctual. Bucky rushes toward her, a look of concern etched on his face.

"You had a nightmare, didn't you?" He asks as he wraps his arms around her. She sobs into his chest, nodding. Bucky hums softly as he runs his fingers through her hair. "I can tell."

She has to laugh. He seems so calm. Usually, it's her comforting him, but tonight, Bucky has been her rock. Soothing her, taking care of her. He told her that they had to take care of each other. He rubs her back, his metal fingertips trailing up and down her spine.

"Breathe, Ali. You've gotta breathe. Your heart is pounding. I can feel it through your ribs."

Alice realizes that this is the first time she's actually able to take a calming breath since she woke up. She sucks in a few deep breaths with Bucky.

"You're so good at this," she whispers.

"I'm kind of the expert in nightmares," Bucky laughs. "If there's one good thing that came out of it, it's you teaching me how to deal with them."