Red White and You

|7| Unbroken: Part 2

After so many years without really being there, regaining his memory made Bucky desperate to spend every second he had with the love of his life.

Steve Rogers.

No matter how many times he said it in his head, he couldn't get over it. His name was just so beautiful and so perfect. Just like the man himself.

Yet everyday he was scared. He lived a life afraid of his own shadow, still in fear that his mind wasn't stable, that he couldn't be trusted around people or in public. He didn't want to hurt Steve, and he certainly didn't want to put him in harms way. He knew he was dangerous and couldn't be trusted with his own strength, especially when left alone with his thoughts— but really, they weren't even his. They belonged to Hydra and that dirty blood still flowed uncontrollably through his veins despite his efforts.

A simple touch on his metal arm in the wrong spot at the wrong time could send him over the edge. His last mission - kill Captain America - is still incomplete. A small trip up could force him to complete it. Any little thing could push him back into being that relentless assassin who would kill anything in his way. The entire time, all 50 years across dozens of missions, he only ever had three goals. 

Infiltrate.

Assassinate.

Destabilize.

If he was pushed too far, even just by a little bit, he could do something he would regret for the rest of his life. He didn't want to kill the only person he cared about. The only person who really knew him. He loves Steve  more than he loves himself and he doesn't want to get in the way of his own ambitions.

Sometimes he wonders if leaving Steve behind would be the only way to truly keep him safe.

A black blanket with little holes woven in its infrastructure enveloped the Earth all throughout the night. In the wee hours of the morning, a traveling lantern broke through and made a gaping hole causing bands of color to leak across the fabric of the atmosphere and fill the little white flecks with orange, red and yellow dyes. Bucky woke to see tufts of cotton fluffed up and spilling white streaks of paint across the blue-magenta canvas. He was laying on his left side facing the giant window gazing up at the beautiful mosaic of colors in the sunrise from Stark Towers.

It had been about a month since Bucky had begun to remember his old friend. Each day was a journey to remember more and more about their lives in the 1940s before he was captured by Hydra. Now, they were always together- they even shared a room.

He turned around to an even more beautiful sight... at least, in his eyes. Glowing skin spotted with light brown freckles and beauty marks, golden blonde hair laying ever-so perfectly across his forehead. Bare chest and muscle bound arms rested above the sheets, his lush, pink lips surrounded by strawberry-blonde beard hair hung slightly open and showed his pearly white teeth. Eyes closed, for he was in a deep sleep, and his thick, long eyelashes hung low on his eyelids.

What a sight to wake up to.

Steve was still in a heavy sleep, breathing hotly as a small smile crept onto his face. He was still dreaming. Bucky couldn't help but smile back.

"Morning beautiful" Bucky whispered as Steve stirred out of his sleep. He gently ran his cool, metal fingertips across Steve's bearded jawline. Deep blue eyes slowly opened and his smile widened.

"G'mornin' Buck" Steve licked his lips anticipating Bucky's movements.

Still half asleep, the kiss he had leaned into was groggy yet surprisingly warm. Bucky inched away but Steve took the side of his neck in his massive hands and pulled him in for another.