No Time to Die - Bucky Barnes

Chapter 7

Pas de deux from 'The Nutcracker'. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

TW: mention of possible SA

You finally made it home. Home. Was it really home or just a place you live? Another word that was just created and meaning was put behind it. What really was home? All these questions yet not have a single definite answer.

It was already nightfall but you doubt a single soul will get a lick of sleep tonight or the next few nights for that matter. "Go home, Tony." There was that word again. Couldn't this be Tony's home as well? Wasn't it once his home? His father built this facility all those years ago. Then Tony has taken it upon himself to renovate it into what it is. A place where the people he cares about live.

For most this was their home. The only one they have known in a really long time.  But was it a permeant? You saw how they were itching to leave this place and some leave this job, just so they can be normal or have a sense of it. 

Tony ignored your demand. Still working away ok whatever invention was in front of him. "Not tried." He mumbled after you repeated yourself. Clearly he wasn't listening but rather on autopilot. "I didn't say to sleep, Tony. I said to go home. To Pepper and Morgan." The names of his kid and wife awoke him in a sense. Whatever he saw, whatever they made him see had something to do with them.

"Come on Tony. You can't do this to yourself. That's how they win." He looked utterly defeated. You never have seen him this way, so broken. "It felt so real. I thought they were really taken away from me." He runs his hands through his hair. In the short time you have been here you knew Tony would do anything and everything to protect those he cared about. "That's why you need to go home. To see that there are okay." You try to soothe his thoughts. "When was the last time you had a break?" He opens his mouth to answer but quickly shuts it close again. "Spend some time with them." You knew he wasn't to give up, at least not with a fight. "You know I can't not while those things could still be out there." You looked down at your feet. Shuffling from one foot to the other. You hoped that you finished them off in your rampage when you escaped and maybe you did. It's possible that Sin created more and is continuing to do so.

"When you get back we will work on the neural inhibitors together." He jaw drops. "How-," You snicker, pushing out the door and locking the lab behind you. "We're more alike than you think."

You already sent Barton home as well as Sam knowing that they had families outside of the miscreet group for Avengers. After seeing Tony out and telling him to say hi to Pepper and Morgan you retreated back into the compound. On your journey you couldn't stop thinking about this whole situation. How urgent it felt.

Why was she using kids? What was her end goal? So many questions like that appeared in your mind. But you were scared to know the answer to them. Slowly opening the door to the large room you make your presence known to the children to not scare them. Beds line the walls on either side with an empty spot under the window, perfect to play games and hang out.

The kids have already found themselves situated in their beds. They were a little shaken up but you let out a positive emotion to tell them you were friendly. They were all different ages, the youngest being around 4 years old and the oldest being around 10 or 11 years old.  One of the youngest girls tugs on your pant leg. You look down to see a set of gorgeous greyish blue eyes. Her skin tone was slightly lighter than yours but what caught your eyes was her magnificent white hair with a tint of blue. "Are we safe here?" She says in her small voice.  You lower yourself to be able to look her in the eyes to not let the height difference intimidate her. You instantly felt a connection with her.

"More than safe. No one will hurt you here." You are not sure if she or any of the other kids believe you. It was going to take a little bit of effort to take them to believe they were safe. "My name is Y/N and I was in the same spot you were. I know how scary those monsters are. The people who saved you are the Avengers. Superheros." You further go on explaining who each individual is, parts of their past and they won't hurt them.

Further on you start explaining the facility and how they will have the opportunity to play and have fun. It was already agreed that the kids wouldn't be tested until they allow it. Soon they all started to fall asleep, probably this being the first time they have sleeped in a comfortable bed. You slowly pull yourself from the little girl with white hair, not catching her name. Out of all she was the only one you felt some sort of power.

Closing the door you hoped that they will find their way back home as well. If they even had ones to go back to. Or they could find new ones. Anything's better then that hell hole of a place.

No one was asleep. You could tell by the light shining underneath each door as you past them to get to your own room. It wasn't a place you stayed in very long mainly because it felt odd to have a place that was purely your own. It was rare to receive this type of privacy. There were no Hydra agents watching over you making sure you didn't escape. Or others who believed that they could get a chance to get their dicks wet. That was if they could get past the Winter soldier.

There was also the fact how you felt trapped in the room. Eve though it could possibly fit a two bedroom apartment inside once that door closed it appeared to you as if you were locked in a cell underground. So whenever you did sleep, you slept with the door open. It wasn't like anyone could see you inside anyway with the position of the door and bed but you are use to the snese of having minimal privacy anyway.

Tonight was one of the nights were you didn't need  sleep. But it wasn't likely that you were going to be able to fall asleep anyway. So you grab your items and head back out.

You were suprised to see the gym empty, believing that that's where the most of them would be. But maybe this was better. You had the chance to let it all out, everything that's been bottled for the sake of the team and childeren. You grab your point shoes tying them on your feet. Running your hands over, you couldn't get over the way the feel. The smooth silk underneath your fingertips. They felt so pure.

You haven't yet receive the chance to wear them, not wanting to destroy their beauty. Stark gifted them to you as a welcoming gift and no matter how much you denied to take them the more he pushed for you to have them. You weren't materialistic. Growing up after one war and before another, things became rationed quickly. And after your father died in the war it took a little while before you could get back on your feet.

The shoes were still stiff therefore they needed to be broken in a little before you even thought of using them. To say it's been a while would be an understatement. In Hydra you haven't danced much, not nearly as much as you did before the accident. But now that you have your life back you were going to take every chance possible.

You stretch then do a couple of bar exercises. Nothing too difficult. After you move to the center of the room and that's when you see him in the shadows. You knew that he knew that you saw him. That was when he stepped out to make himself known.

Bucky comes behind you, locking his eyes with your in the mirror. His flesh fingertips drag up along your arm. Goosebumps follow his trail up to your neck. He tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. "I don't want to talk." He whispered in your ear. A cool shiver ran down your spine. It took all your self control to not lean into his body. Even in this position or was to intimate but it still that fact that he wasn't yours anymore wasn't enough for either of you to move away.

His hands slide down stopping at your hips. You begin your dance, slowly moving to the music each step in sync with the next. He lifts you up, one leg bent and the other straight out. Bucky spins around then puts you down. The pas de deux was an intimate dance of heartbreak, and there was a constant connection with your partner.

You were stretching through an arabesque, eyes closed, arms lifted as if you was trying to reach the ceiling, when warm hands touched you again , one over your stomach for support, the other under your leg, and in the next instant you were lifted, spun slowly around the floor and set back down lightly, your hand being pulled through the next set of steps.

There was a push and pull in the routine, him constantly trying to reach for you. To hold on to you, to keep you in his arms. Much like in real life. Being in each other's arms was the safest place to be. The only place you wanted to be.

The music ends and his hands are still on you. Your chests heave in sync, unable to pull away. Even though you know you shouldn't be here, your body is drawn to his. Taken by surprise he pulls you in thigher wrapping you in a hug. Your arms wrap around his waist and you nuzzle into his chest. Bucky drops his head in the crook of your neck inhaling your scent.

This was it.

This was home.