First Sight (Bucky Barnes x OC)

1.4 · Knobhead With the Shield.

Melissa stood outside Bucky's locked apartment, trying not to look so suspicious as she jiggled her hand about as she unlocked his front door. It eventually clicked open. She removed her heels and kicked them to join his other shoes, as well as shoved her bag next to the shoes. With a wave of her hand, the door quietly shut behind her. It seemed Bucky wasn't home yet as darkness consumed his apartment. There was a blanket and pillow on his floor and a bright blue sofa that was untouched right next to it.

His coffee table was covered in older literature, most from the 1940's. There was even an old, ripped newspaper from 1945, an extract from a soldier as soon as they had heard the war had ended. Her heart suddenly ached for him.

Begrudgingly, Melissa tugged at her dress, stomping over to her bag. She squatted and pulled her pyjamas from her bag. The door swung open from beside her, Melissa quickly shooting her hand out to catch it, then falling onto her ass. "Shit a brick."

"What are you doing here?" Bucky stepped to the side, slamming the door accidentally. It was evident that he had been crying, with red tear stains in the corners of his eyes and puffy under-eyes.

"I thought I would let Sam and his sister have a breath from me, I've been kipping on their couch for practically a year. Thought I would come here and give you some company." Melissa (using her bracelets) pushed herself to her feet, a green mist swiftly covering her hands and wrists. "Are you okay? I know I should have asked, I ju-"

It was sudden and unexpected but Bucky tightly wrapped his arms around Melissa, sobs flying out of his mouth and tears freely flowing. Slowly, Melissa wrapped her hands around him, holding onto his shoulders gently. "Bucky. Are you okay?" When he didn't answer, Melissa pulled her head back (which was quite difficult with his hand resting on the back of her head) and looked up at him. "Bucky, what's happened?"

"I was the one that killed Yori's son. I did it..." He let go of Melissa as quickly as he had held her and began to tug at his freshly cut short hair. "I'm a murderer. And I was lying to Yori's face about it for so long because I enjoyed his company. I'm selfish, and a murderer, and a liar. I'm such a fucking liar." He was growling at himself, hissing in as he struggled to breathe. His heart was beating erratically. Why couldn't he breathe properly? Why?

"Bucky, breathe with me." She took both of his hands in hers, breathing in for three long seconds. Then back out for another three. It took him a while before he matched breathing patterns and sat calmly on the sofa.

Melissa was rushing about the kitchen, bread was in the toaster and she was currently looking for the jam that was in his cupboard. "Erm, Bucky. Do you know where the jam is?"

He grunted in response, "Have you checked the fridge?" She opened the fridge door as the toast popped up from the toaster. A butter knife floated from the draw and dipped into the jam pot and began to spread on the toast. Then it stuck into the jam pot as Melissa took the food to Bucky.

"I'm going to change whilst you eat your food, then we'll talk. And I won't bring a notebook like that knobhead therapist you have."

Bucky chuckled sadly as he munched on his toast. He could hear Melissa fumbling and banging trying to get out of the stupidly tight dress she was wearing. He also heard a few swear words fall out of her mouth that she must have thought she was mumbling. Then she stropped out of the room with some metal chains in her hands. "I erm, we will talk, I promise. I just need some help right now." Bucky placed the plate down on his coffee table as Melissa sat on the couch, pulling her feet onto the sofa. "Please can you help me with the clasps, these bloody long nails don't allow me to do anything!"

A low hum came from Bucky's throat, coming out like a small laugh. "Why do you even need ankle bracelets anyways, no one ever notices them."

As Bucky held the open clasp to her ankle, Melissa hooked the little hoop onto it. Then doing the same on her other ankle. "Well, as you know. I manipulate metal, and, well, when I was younger, I was in something we called cadets and we needed to wear steel toe caps in our boots. But one evening, I couldn't reach the top shelf and I found that having something metal on my feet helped me."