Saving Bucky (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 35 - The Left Hand

Stunned into silence, you can do little but keep time with the music. But you barely notice your feet moving as James tightens his hold on your waist, his eyes searching yours. Your heart pounds and your breath comes in short pants when he spins you, but refuses to let you step away, keeping his hand on your waist and interlacing his gloved fingers with yours, pulling them close to his chest to prevent another man from taking hold during the switch.

As partners change, yours remains. And the next stanza begins.

"Uh, Y/n? How's it going?" Scott's voice in your ear startles you and you break your eye contact, glancing back over at the Congressman. You hadn't noticed, but James has moved you several couples away.

"Standby," you whisper quietly, looking back up to the brunette whose brow furrows.

"Y/n? What's going on?" Steve says. "You can't go quiet on us."

"There's a complication," you say quietly, eyes on James.

"I'm at the pickup point," Sam says. "You say the word and we're out."

"No, not that kind of complication, Sam," you whisper. "It's James, Steve. He's here."

The line falls silent as again you're spun, yet held close. And again, your hand is kept on the super soldier's chest as he prevents another man from taking it. Below your fingertips you can feel his heart pounding.

"Buck?" Steve says after a quiet moment. "He's...he's here? Where?"

"Here," you answer. "Right here. With me. Right now."

James' brow is tightly knit as he watches you speak, his eye flitting to your necklace, then to your wrist, eyeing your bracelet. Finally his gaze drifts to your earring and realization sets in. His hand slides slowly down your back, reaching the small of it as he pulls you closer - tight to his chest. Pressing your palm flat over his heart in a symbolic attempt to keep him back, he keeps you both in time with the waltz but leans in close, his lips brushing the shell of your ear.

"You promised me, Steve," he whispers. The warmth of his breath sends a shiver down your spine.

He pulls away and begins maneuvering you both towards the edge of the dance floor until you're able to subtly step away. The moment you're able to melt back into the watching crowd you try to let go of his hand. But he keeps a tight hold and starts pulling you through the men and women.

"Let go," you hiss, tugging on your hand.

But he doesn't.

"James I said stop," you seethe, giving your arm another yank. But this doesn't seem to phase him as he continues to drag you towards the main foyer and out back through the French doors.

"Enough!" you shout in a heated whisper. It's quiet, but loud enough to catch the attention of a group of women nearby who cast you both peculiar looks.

As a result he stops pulling you along, but still doesn't let go. Instead he tugs you close and lowers his voice into a growl.

"If you don't keep your voice down, we'll be found."

"If you don't let me go, I'll cause a scene," you threaten.

His jaw tenses and he pulls back to look at you, his nose scrunched in anger. But he takes a deep inhale and drops your hand.

You step back, straightening out your dress and letting your eyes rake over him, seeing him - all of him - up close for the first time. While his clothes may be pressed and his face may be clean-shaven, the stress lines in his face are deep. And he looks tired. Deeply, achingly tired. And despite how badly you want to hate him, despite how badly you want to turn around and finish what you came here to do, you simply...can't.