First Sight (Bucky Barnes x OC)

1.5 · The Big Three.

Melissa was softly snoring with her head still on Bucky's chest. Hair was spread around the floor from where she had thrown it out of her way. But Bucky had found himself stroking it with care; and because he had found out that Melissa was extra relaxed in her sleep when he was messing with it. He had tried to sleep as well but it never came over him. So he found himself thinking long and hard as he stared at the ceiling. His head was resting on the palm of his metal arm. Now and then, Bucky would glance at Melissa to make sure she was still in fact, snoring away.

But he couldn't help but wonder, was Steve that replaceable? For decades, Captain America was represented by Steve Rogers and only Steve Rogers. But he had barely had time to stay dead before the world had moved on and given the shield to some phony with blonde hair. Was everybody that replaceable?

As Melissa stirred, his arm erupted in pins and needles. "What time is it?" Melissa grumbled, reaching up to rub her eyes.

"Around 1230, you fell asleep as soon as we lay down. Did you sleep alright?" He moved his head to look down at Melissa, who had closed her eyes again.

She hummed, still sleep-ridden despite being awake, "Yeah, have you been doing that the whole time?"

His hand suddenly stopped as he gulped. "It kept you calm, sorry. I'll stop."

"No, keep doing it. Please." He continued to stroke her hair, Melissa once again humming. Only this time with a smile on her face. "It's nice."

Bucky smiled. "Sam called before, but you sort of angrily powered it off." Melissa weakly shook with laughter. "He's been texting me non-stop."

"I should call him back, shouldn't I?" Melissa made no effort to move.

"Probably."

Her hand moved out with a green mist before her phone shot into her hand, holding onto the power button with her thumb. "Why do you sleep on the floor?"

Bucky sighed, quietly clearing his throat. "I prefer it." Once the phone had powered on and she had typed in her password, notifications pummeled into the phone. Most were from spam emails that she was going to cancel someday. Others were from both Sam and other family members that she no longer spoke to in London. "Why do you ignore your family?"

"Prefer to." Melissa chuckled, sitting up and leaning on her hip. "Nah, just don't get on with them. All snobby cows." She pressed a few things then her phone began to loudly dial Sam; he answered within two rings.

"Another mission, Torres is coming. You in?"

"Hello, Sam. How are you, Sam? Nice to speak to you, Sam."

"Shut up, London. But are you in?"

Melissa sighed, "Yes, I'm in."

***

Melissa had tried to stop Bucky from raining terror on Sam, but nothing had prevented him. So now he was marching angrily ahead of her as Sam and Torres slowly walked down the stairs. With her arms crossed over her chest and her hands resting on her biceps that had grown since working with Sam. Just as Bucky came to a stop, he sped up again, his arms swinging manically at his side.

"Shouldn't have given up the shield."

Sam sped down the last few steps, "Good to see you too, Buck."

Bucky followed Sam grumbling in his ear. "This is wrong."

"Hey, hey look, I'm working, all right?" Sam nodded at Melissa as she joined their angry marching, "So all this outrage is gonna have to wait."

"You didn't know this was going to happen?" Hurt written in his voice.

"No, of course I didn't know that was gonna happen. You think it didn't break my heart to see them march him out there and call him the new Captain America?" Sam's arms flailing just as angrily as Bucky's.