peace [bucky barnes]

22

TW: DESCRIPTIONS OF VOMITING/NAUSEA

Grey.

Grey had seeped into the cracks and settled over Eden in a permanent shroud in the days since her encounter with Benjamin. The sky had become a vast granite canvas, extending across the horizon and leaving the city cast in a murky darkness. Mornings were tainted with a thick fog, a clouded mist that filled her lungs until all of her insides were painted the same peppery colour. She breathed in grey, choked on grey, exhaled grey. It was in the food she ate, every meal a colourless, bland lump, smoke on her tongue as she tried to force it down. Even her skin had turned grey, sickly pale and devoid of her usual flush, the only colour in the deep purple circles that ringed her eyes.

And as she laid down at night to sleep, all she could see were those blank grey eyes, emotionless and cold, a sinister ghost she was unable to escape.

The image had jolted her awake more times than she could count, a cold sweat beaded over her chest as it heaved with panicked breaths. Every time she woke Bucky wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into him without a word until her breathing slowed again.

She had called him straight away from her collapsed ball on the floor, sobbing incoherently down the phone. He couldn't understand what had happened, only making out 'followed' and 'Benjamin' through her hysterical tears, fearing the worst as he headed back to her in a sprint, thankfully only a few blocks away.

When he arrived he found her shaking on one of the lobby couches, accompanied by a kind elderly woman living in the building, who had discovered her on the floor and helped her sit down. Eden burst into fresh tears as he came to sit beside her, grabbing his jacket and burying her face into his chest, wishing she could hide there forever. Once she had relayed the full story, it took everything in him not to track Benjamin down and beat him into a bloody pulp, overcome with such intense rage he almost couldn't contain it. The only thing that stopped him was her, clinging to him like it would kill her to let go, realising he couldn't leave her while she was in this state.

Bucky stayed with her every day and night since, barely letting her out of his sight unless he absolutely had to. On Friday evening he went for a quick shower, returning to find her gone from her position on the sofa, almost fleeing in panic before he realised the balcony door was pulled open.

As he stepped outside the chill of the autumn air stunned him, the sting penetrating even through his clothes. The city was vibrant, horns and sirens sounding loudly, a general hum of life and noise that was almost comforting from their little bubble above. Eden was perched cross-legged on one of her garden chairs, arms folded over each other on top of the railing, her chin resting on her bare skin as she looked out at the twinkling lights.

"Aren't you cold?" He spoke softly as he came to stand behind her, placing his gloved hands on her shoulders. Thankfully, she never questioned him for leaving them on, either not noticing or deliberately not prying further, and he was more than grateful for it.

"I'm okay."

Frowning, his eyes trailed down to her exposed arms, noticing goosebumps swarming her skin. He picked up another chair from the tiny table set, positioning it beside hers before he took a seat. One hand came to rest on her thigh as he studied her expression, his own pinched with concern, deep creases forming between his brows. Her face was blank, eyes foggy with unclarity, the warmth of his home diminished to dwindling embers. She didn't move at his touch, keeping her gaze on the city, bright flares glittering in her pupils as she scanned the horizon.

"What's the matter, Eden?" A worried crack split Bucky's voice, gently squeezing her leg over her pyjama pants as he leaned closer toward her.

Eden let out a deep sigh, her eyes closing before she tilted her head toward him, cheek pressed to her arm. She took a moment to breathe, eyelids fluttering open to reveal tears gleaming, threatening to spill down her cheeks.