Fine Line (Bucky Barnes x OC)

A Little More Help

Bucky woke up with a heavy feeling weighing down his body. His eyes cracked open and he saw Luna laying almost completely on top of him. A sleepy smile played on his lips and he wrapped his arms around her, making her nuzzle her face against his chest. His fingers trailed up and down her spine and he heard a soft sigh pass her lips. He didn't know how long they had been asleep, but the sun was almost completely below the horizon and Luna's room was shrouded in shadows.

It didn't take long for him to fall asleep once he had laid down on the bed with her in his arms. He didn't even bother asking FRIDAY to have Nat and Wanda unlock the door, preferring to be with Luna without interruptions. Neither one of them spoke. There would be plenty of time for talking later. What they both needed was the comfort that they brought to each other. The comfort that allowed them to slip into a dreamless, peaceful sleep.

The last month had been one restless night after another without Luna beside him. The week that she was gone, Bucky hardly noticed the exhaustion that had settled over his body. There was so much adrenaline running through his body when he finally brought her home that the extreme tiredness he had been ignoring didn't hit him until a few days after her return.

Luna had been suffering in the same way, even though she tried to act as if she were fine. Bucky took note of the dark circles under her eyes and the yawns she would stifle when she thought no one was looking. He saw the way her eyes drooped and then snapped open as she tried her hardest not to fall asleep. On her worst nights, Bucky could hear her screaming from his room and he knew that her sleep was being plagued by nightmares.

On more than one occasion, he had found himself leaving his room and crossing the hall to stand outside her door, fist poised to knock. Before his knuckles could make contact with the door, his hand would drop to his side as his brain reminded him of the day she left. He would turn and go back to his room, feeling guilty for leaving her but knowing that he couldn't bring himself to comfort her the way he once had. On occasion, Sam or Wanda would come to check on her since their rooms were the closest. It gave Bucky a sense of relief that she wasn't alone, but he wished he could be the one who was with her.

If they had spoken earlier, maybe he wouldn't have spent so many sleepless nights replaying the day she left. Maybe he could have saved Luna from spending so many nights trapped in nightmares. No matter how hard he was on Luna for being excessively stubborn, Bucky knew he was just as headstrong as she was. His unwillingness to speak to her had caused more needless heartache than either one needed to suffer. Not to mention that the lack of sleep and stress he had caused her wasn't helping with her recovery.

His fingers were still moving languidly along her spine when he heard her hum softly in her sleep. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and then settled back on the pillow, letting her sleep as long as she needed. Eventually he would need to wake her and make sure she ate, but he wanted to be selfish for a bit longer and keep her in his arms.

"That feels good." Luna mumbled.

Bucky looked down to see her eyes still closed, but a small smile curving her plump lips.

"Did I wake you, doll?"

"No, I've been awake for a few minutes. I just didn't want you to stop rubbing my back." She chuckled lightly and tilted her head to look up at him.

"I wouldn't have stopped if you asked nicely." He smirked.

"By pretending to be asleep, I didn't have to ask at all." She said, returning his smirk.

Bucky quickly flipped her over, making her squeal in surprise, and nestled himself between her legs. He pinned her hands next to her head and leaned down to pepper her face with kisses.