Do You Trust Me? // Bucky Barnes

23

Ava

She had never felt so comfortable. So secure.

There was a weightlessness that wrapped itself around her bones and soothed her, a warmth that enveloped her, and although the grogginess of sleep and the mist of half-formed consciousness seemed to battle for dominance, she was contented in the dream she had concocted. The one that made her feel safer and human again. The one that pulled her out of pain and worry and darkness, and left her heart sprinting and her breathing hitching. The one where Bucky Barnes had kissed her like she mattered and held her like he wanted her. The one where she had allowed herself to admit she wanted him, desperately.

As she nuzzled closer into the warm wall of cushions that were both too solid and extraordinarily comfortable, a small voice in the back of her head hummed about being too comfortable. And it was right. The floor she had been sleeping on wasn't this warm. And it didn't wrap over her waist with a weight that pinned her in place and a softness that held her close. And it didn't move with gentle inhales and exhales. Because she wasn't on the floor. 

With the warmth of a thousand suns, reality washed over her as realisation cracked through the barrier of her mind and memories flooded her senses. She could feel him behind her, his chest against her back and his face nestled into her hair. His arm was draped over her waist, his hand resting possessively against her stomach and holding her close to him. His knees were tucked up behind hers. Every inch of her body burned with the realisation that it was not a dream. It was not a vulnerable creation of a desperate mind, seeking warmth and kindness and longing where it did not exist. It was truth. It was real. It was him.

"Just let them rest, Peter." The soft whisper of Talia Rogers tiptoed through the space and Ava stiffened slightly where she lay, afraid to open her eyes. "I'm sure they'll explain when they wake up, okay?"

Footsteps approached her.

"Peter Parker!" A whispered scolding, the tone so distinctly mothering that Ava could almost picture the look of fear that would have crossed Peter's face, Talia seethed from somewhere behind the couch. "One more step towards them and I swear to God you will regret it. You might be some super spider kid, but both my husband and I are super soldiers. As is the metal maniac you're going to wake up. Trust me, kid. It won't end well for you."

"I'm not going to wake up Sergeant Barnes," Peter retorted with a sulky whisper. One Ava was sure would be accompanied by a pout. "I just want -"

"You just want to question Sergeant Hall until she tells you what's going on. But she's currently cocooned in Buck's arms, and trust me, the minute she moves he is going to wake up and he is going to be mad at you for waking her up. So no. Over here. Now."

The footsteps moved further away.

"I will admit though," Talia whispered with a giggle, "I do want to know who gave in to it first."

Ava was smiling to herself as she lay listening, her eyes still closed and her mind made up; she would lay like this until he woke. Only then would she remove herself from his embrace and face the reality of what was ahead of them. And then Peter spoke again.

"Right, exactly." He was doing calculations in his mind. She could hear it. "But, Happy is going to be here in like an hour, right? And then I have to go. And if I go before she wakes up then we will never know, because Ava and I, right? Ava and I are like best friends really. She and I are tight. She's like Ned. But female. And way cooler than Ned and I. So, she's not really like Ned. She's like... She's the not-Ned. And I can't leave without saying goodbye to the not-Ned."

"You're leaving, Little Bug?" Ava's throat was scratchy from sleep and tears, and as she shifted - moving away from Bucky's embrace and sitting up on the couch - she felt a lump lodge in her chest. 

She didn't want to lose Peter. 

As she stared at Peter, who nodded silently and lifted his shoulders in a resigned shrug, she felt fingertips against her spine. Her eyes drifted to the man laying on the couch beside her.

Bucky's eyes were a mist of sea blue and clear skies - flecks of grey and navy melted into warm azure - and when her eyes locked with his, he smiled beautifully. It was shy and small and so unsure that her heart stuttered and stumbled in response. He was so breathtakingly, incredibly wonderful. Even just smiling up at her. Even saying nothing. Just looking at her set her on fire and lit up her entire chest with fireworks. Just touching her calmed the ache in her soul that had not disappeared since the day she had returned. And he was unsure. And even though she thought it was not possible for her, even though she felt herself incapable of it, she felt something like hope weaving itself into the torn edges of herself.

"Can I kill the kid?" His voice was thick with sleep as his fingers brushed gently back and forth across the small of her back and he blinked away the glare of the sun beaming in through the window.

"No," Ava laughed just as Talia grunted 'I told you so' at Peter.

"Okay." Bucky winked as Ava brought one hand to her face and shook her head on a breathy laugh. He shifted beside her and Ava's entire body sang as he sat upright and tugged her closer to him, his arm snaking around her waist and pinning her to his side, before he pressed his lips to her temple. 

Peter stared. Talia grinned. Ava reminded herself to breathe.

"Instead of me explaining the curse of high-school and the whole 'you have to attend' thing, can we discuss this?" Peter gestured to where Bucky's fingers splayed over Ava's hip and how Ava's hand had somehow found its resting place against Bucky's thigh.

She glanced to her fingers, pulling her hand away quickly, but Bucky grabbed hold of her before she could move away, slipping his fingers through hers and bringing her knuckles to his lips.

"Yeah. Let's talk about that." Another voice sounded from the doorway and Bucky groaned while Ava span her head to the intrusion. Jamie stood with her hands shoved into her pockets, one eyebrow cocked and a scowl plastered across her face. 

As Jamie eyed Ava's hand in Bucky's and heat burned behind Ava's cheeks, Steve approached his daughter, rolling his eyes dramatically and mouthing apologies behind her back.

"Yeah," he cut in. "You're not discussing anything. You have a mid-term today and the school bus will be here in five. Get your bag and lose the attitude."

Bucky was shaking, his whole body trembling with silent laughter beside Ava as she slumped forwards, and he pressed a gentle kiss against her shoulder as he leant with her. His hands moved to her arms, running over them soothingly, and his voice dropped low - for just her to hear. 

"Welcome to the family, Sweetheart." His whisper sank into her skin with an embrace that she never wanted to escape. "Maybe laying on the couch was a bad idea..."

"Maybe," she mumbled, and Bucky laughed again. Loudly.

"Hey," he brought one hand to her face, his fingers gripping her chin gently, forcing her to look at him. "Morning." Ever so gently, with a tenderness she did not think she deserved, James Buchanan Barnes pressed his lips against hers and kissed her softly. 

And everything else faded into background noise, because he was kissing her and she was coming alive with every tender touch.