Then I saw you

Untitled Part 24

Nobodys POV.

Astraea remained pressed against Bucky's chest, her mind still swirling with everything that had happened, but now, in his arms, it felt like the storm inside her had stilled—just enough to let her breathe. His warmth radiated through her, chasing away the lingering cold that seemed to cling to her since she had woken up. She felt the weight of everything, the loss, the fear, but Bucky was a steady presence, a tether to something real.

She glanced down at their intertwined hands—his metal fingers laced with hers—and a strange sense of comfort washed over her. They both bore scars from the same shadowed past, marks of survival, and in a way, that made the connection between them even stronger. He wasn't looking at her with pity; he wasn't shying away from the parts of her that felt broken. Instead, he was holding her together, piece by piece, just by being there.

Bucky's thumb brushed over her metal knuckles, the touch reverent, as if he was silently telling her that she was whole—that no matter what HYDRA had done, no matter how fractured she felt, she was still herself. Still Astraea. His gaze never wavered, and when she looked up into his eyes, she found the quiet strength she needed to steady her own heart.

"You're not alone in this," he whispered, his voice low but filled with a conviction that made her chest tighten. "I know what it feels like. I know..."

His words trailed off, but the weight of them lingered. Astraea could see it in his eyes—the years of torment, the battles he had fought within himself, the struggle to reclaim his own humanity. He didn't need to say it. She understood.

"I don't know how to do this," Astraea admitted, her voice shaking slightly, betraying her vulnerability. "I don't know how to move forward from here."

Bucky's expression softened, and he shifted, his hand moving to cradle the back of her neck. His touch was grounding, a steadying force amidst the chaos that still lingered at the edges of her mind. "You don't have to figure it all out right now," he murmured. "One step at a time. You don't have to go through this alone, Astraea."

She swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotion. "I'm scared," she whispered, the words falling from her lips like a confession. "I don't want to be this broken person, but... I don't know how to be anything else right now."

Bucky shook his head gently, his forehead still resting against hers. "You're not broken," he said softly, his breath warm against her skin. "You're hurting, yeah. But you're not broken. You survived. That's what matters."

For a long moment, they stayed like that, wrapped up in each other's presence, letting the silence stretch between them. Astraea could feel the steady beat of Bucky's heart against her ear, grounding her in the present. The world outside could wait. Right now, this was all that mattered.

Finally, she pulled back just enough to meet his gaze again, her hand still resting against his cheek. "I don't want to just survive," she whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of her admission. "I want to live again."

Bucky's blue eyes softened, filled with a quiet understanding. "Then we'll figure it out together," he said, his voice low but sure. "One step at a time. And I'll be right here with you."

Astraea's breath caught, her heart swelling with a mixture of gratitude and something else—something she hadn't felt in a long time. Hope. It was fragile, delicate, but it was there, growing with every word Bucky spoke. She wasn't alone in this anymore. She had him.

And maybe, just maybe, that was enough to start healing.

Her hand moved from his cheek to his chest, resting over his heart, feeling the steady rhythm beneath her fingers. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice soft but filled with meaning. "For being here. For not letting me drown in all of this."

Bucky's lips twitched into a small, tender smile. "I'm not going anywhere," he said, his tone gentle but firm. "You've got me, Astraea. I'm with you. Always."

The weight of his promise settled over her, warm and reassuring. She leaned into him again, her head resting against his shoulder, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to close her eyes and just breathe.

A.N. 

hi everyone, i started posting again!!! sorry if my writings changed a little, im slowly getting better at writing so my style is changing as well lol. 

-The Author,