Saving Bucky (Bucky Barnes x Reader)

Chapter 53 - A Melody of Cloaks and Daggers

Cuddling with James is surprisingly...easy.

A broad chest rises and falls slowly beneath your cheek as a warm arm lays heavy atop your waist. Legs intertwined, your hand had instinctively reached for his neck, your fingers twisting themselves gently into the soft brown hair at the nape, earning you a sated hum as ice-blue eyes had quickly fluttered closed beneath your touch. 

And closed they've stayed. 

Neither of you had intended to drift off, knowing full well that Kentay would return any moment. But at some point both of you must have found enough comfort in the other to slip into that hazy no-man's land, part way between awake and asleep. Still conscious enough to feel his breath stir the hair on your head. And still alert enough to hear the three quiet chimes at your door. Apparently James is alert as well, as you're suddenly being flipped on the sofa, pinned down and covered as he pulls his knife when the door slides open.

"No!" you say breathlessly, adrenaline tearing you from your sleepy state. 

You grab wildly at his arm as he lets his knife fly at the dark mass that steps through the doorway, catching the cuff of his sleeve as he releases. His knife is sent flying with a quiet, deadly whistle through the air. It's only slightly off target, lodging itself in the wall only inches from Kentay's head as he steps inside, wide-eyed as his gaze follows the knife's trajectory.

All three of you are frozen, eyes on the knife buried hilt-deep. It's Kentay that finally breaks the tense silence.

"Eish, wat's fout met jou?" he huffs in his deep accent, pulling your door shut behind him as James continues to shoot him a deadly glare. 

"I assumed you still bode me ill after our interrogations, Barnes," Kentay says flatly. "But to kill me so prematurely? When I can still offer assistance?" He shakes his head, tutting with a click of his tongue in disappointed fashion while reaching for the knife's handle, giving it a hard yank and pulling it from the wall. You cringe as Kentay eyes the blade, his gaze flitting only for a moment towards James. But you let out a sigh of relief as Kentay wipes the dust on his pant leg and closes it, tossing it back to James. Your relief is short-lived, as it seems James isn't quite so forgiving, catching it with one hand before turning to you, eyes flared wide and lip curled. 

"You said no one has access to your room," he snarls.

"They don't," you say, taken aback by his sudden anger. "Except Kentay. He's the only one. Calm down."

But your words do little to calm him. Instead they seem to further agitate him as he bristles and glances between you and Kentay once or twice. But he says nothing further, instead humming low and in clear displeasure as he pockets his knife and stalks away, staring down Kentay as he passes to take up residence once more in the darkened corner of your room by the door, keeping watch and ready to react should an unwelcome visitor attempt to make entry. You roll your eyes, letting out a sigh. But you ultimately ignore his behavior and turn back to your friend, who offers you a gentle smile and joins you in the sitting area, taking a seat in the chair across from your spot on the sofa. 

"You were gone a while," you ask skeptically.

"I took care of the guards," he says answers. "They've been wiped and further tranquilized. They'll be out for several hours longer, and when they wake they'll be written up for sleeping on the job. I also repaired the ventilation shafts, while leaving them accessible for your exit."

"Thank you, Kentay," you say gratefully, leaning back and letting out a sigh of relief.

"I also altered the security footage," he says grimly. Your gaze cuts to his.