Neighbours (Bucky Barnes x OC)

Thirteen

Lia

No matter how much she tried sleep just was not her friend tonight. She had been in complete shock after what happened with Bucky. She hadn't heard him go back into his apartment after what happened but Lia wasn't sure how much she was actually paying attention. Her lips still tingled hours later, the ghost feeling of him kissing her being all she could think about.

Lia wasn't stupid, she knew Bucky was damaged but so was she. Not as severe by any means but she wasn't perfect and she wanted to help. She never even found out what was wrong with him, the whole reason she wanted to see him in the first place.

A loud and frustrated groan left her lips as she got out of bed, seeing 3:14AM plastered on her phone. Great. Grabbing a blanket and pulling it over herself she headed to the living room with her fluffy socks padding against the floor, filling the silent apartment. She wasn't sure what she was doing but she could not lie in bed and listen to her head spin anymore so she flopped onto the sofa and put on 'The only murders in the building' in a hope it would fill the loudness of her own head.

Nothing worked.

Why did she kiss him?

Why didn't he want her?

He kissed her back. He moved closer to her.

Yet he didn't want her.

Was the kiss bad? No. He felt too damaged to hold onto her. He didn't trust himself. He wouldn't touch her with his metal arm, it was obvious.

Lia's thoughts stopped when she heard his door unlocking, the thin walls finally becoming an advantage to her. She lept up, not caring what she looked like as she ran to her door and opened it as quickly as she was able. Bucky's door shut behind him.

"Barnes." She hissed, not wanting to wake up anyone else but knowing he would hear her anyways. Super soldier hearing. "I know you can hear me. I just want to talk. I'll sit out here all night if I have to."

When she heard no movement she sat on the floor in front of his door, pulling the blanket tighter around herself.

This is pathetic.

Not hearing him approach she fell into his doorway when he swung the door open, leaving her staring up at him from the floor.

"Um, hi." She grinned at him as Bucky stared at her, no emotion in his face at all. Lia moved quickly, scrambling to her feet.

There was about three inches between the pair in height but Lia's 5'7 made him feel a lot shorter than he was. Lia studied his face carefully, her eyes instantly falling on a few cuts scattered on his face.

"What happened? Are you okay?" When she reached her hand out to him he stepped back, out of her reach. "Okay, don't tell me. Can I at least clean them for you?"

Her eyes were filled with concern and he felt as if he was upsetting her so he nodded once. Lia turned, shuffling into her apartment whilst checking back to see if Bucky was there every few seconds. When they entered her apartment both were reminded of the situation they were in hours ago, attached to each other like nothing else mattered.

"Stay here, I just need my medical kit." Bucky didn't move, staring at the place she had kissed him. Where he had kissed her back. Where he had walked away. Yet, despite him walking away she still came back. She must like him, right?

Wrong. No one could like a man like him. At least, that's what he told himself. It made leaving easier.

"You can sit down you know." Lia kept herself smiling even though she was hurting. She had so many questions but now was not the time. Nice and easy.

He placed himself on the breakfast bar stool, watching her carefully. Lia tipped the antiseptic onto a cotton pad, scrunching her nose at the smell. She hated the smell so much, it reminded her of hospitals and she was never a big fan of hospitals.

"This might hurt." Bucky's eyes stared into hers as she carefully got closer to his face, she felt as if she had stopped breathing. Even behind his eyes was unreadable.

Must be part of the job.

Gently she wiped away the dried blood on his face, Bucky not even flinching. She never considered how he most likely hadn't had anyone do this. The winter soldier was not treated like a human being but rather a machine, if he got hurt it didn't matter to them. Lia had never been more careful in her life, not wanting to cause unnecessary pain to him. There were five cuts in total, each of them small but deep enough where they needed cleaned.

As she turned to place the cotton pad into the bin she stumbled slightly, grabbing onto Bucky's left arm to steady herself. Then he tensed. It wasn't until her hand collided with the cold that she realised. Lia wasn't sure whether to snatch her hand away or not but the way Bucky stared at her hand made her want to. She wasn't scared of him and he needed to know that, she had seen what he was now and that was enough for her. He saved her from fuck knows what.

"Lia." His eyes met hers as he spoke. The desperation was evident in Lia's eyes, she needed him to see she wasn't afraid of him. She instantly recognised the pleading tone, he wasn't sure what he wanted her to do but she had to ask.

"It's okay. Do you want me to move my hand?" His eyes flicked between her hand and his arm again, back to her face.

Bucky was stuck, he didn't want her to move it. He wasn't sure what to do. He took in a deep breath, Lia not once moving herself or her hand. She rested her gaze onto him, deciding to give him all the time he needed. She gathered how huge this was for him and she refused to make herself the reason he never let anyone near him again.

Bucky didn't say anything, only stood up so that he was closer to her and pressed his lips against hers.