11/11/18
100 years since the end of the First World War.
Bucky's eye absently fluttered over the headline of Steve's newspaper and his throat tightened, survivors guilt overwhelming his brain. He excused himself from the group, hands wringing as he made his way into the library. He found me in my normal armchair, buried in a book and blanket. I shot him an absent minded smile, hearing his feet pad along the floor as he walked across the room and grabbed his favourite book from the shelf.
"Buck," I looked up at him, watching him turn around, brown hair falling over his face slightly. "I got you something, a little connection. We have them back home in Britain, but i'm not sure if you have them here." I held out the badge as he walked over and took it in his large hands. He observed it, the small intricate poppy hand painted atop a small banner with the number '100' on it. He looked up and smiled a sad smile, eyes watering slightly.
"Thank you, doll." He whispered, hands fiddling with the pin on the back.
"Here, let me get it." I mumbled, standing up and taking the pin from him to pin it to his soft blue jumper.
Steve had brought him the jumper last year for Christmas, along with a new polaroid camera so Bucky could start keeping his memories around him at all times. There are a few of those polaroids around the library. Mainly me and Buck, when we're curled up in our armchairs reading or watching something on Netflix, Bucky always has to take a picture and pin it to the wall.
The others call it our library and I suppose it really is. Mine and Bucky's safe place.
I fix the pin to his jumper and looked up at him, Bucky's blue eyes tinged with guilt. He blinked it away, his arms wrapping around my shoulders as he hummed a gentle thank you. He tapped his finger three times on my back, which I did back.
I
Tap
Love
Tap
You
Tap
We sat in our comfortable silence for hours until the sun went down and JARVIS had to turn the lights on.
When they turned on, I realised that Bucky had fallen asleep, his neck at an awkward angle, book open on his lap. I got up and tiptoed over, pulling the book from his hands, marking his place and placing it on the coffee table behind me. I cupped his jaw lightly and tried to move his heavy head, hearing him sigh gently in his sleep when his head was in a more comfortable position. I turned my back, ready to place Bucky's book back on the shelf when I felt a hand wrap around my wrist.
"Stay here with me, doll," Bucky grumbled, sleep lacing his normal voice. "Please?" He added and I turned around, allowing him to pull me towards himself. I landed between him and the back of his chair, his arm wrapping around my waist.
"I suppose I could stay." I whispered jokingly, snuggling my head into his neck, He chuckled lightly, squeezing me into him a bit more.
"Thank you, doll," He murmured, voice cracking slightly. "You're my ray of sunshine." He added, pressing a quick kiss on my temple before closing his eyes.
