Chapter 2
Y/n sat quietly on her sofa as Bucky brought her a cup of tea. He had insisted on her sitting and he would make her a hot drink, even though it was her apartment.
She thanked him, her red eyes blinking away the tears and offered him a watery smile as she fought to control her breathing.
He sat next to her, waiting patiently.
She took a deep breath and started.
“He got my drink in the coffee shop” she said quietly, looking at her hands, “he got my mocha and I got his americano. He apologised and we just got to talking. I…I think I was just…he was good looking and kind and…”
He waited for her to continue.
She dipped her head, as if ashamed.
“He had blue eyes, like you”, she whispered but continued, “we agreed to go for a drink after I finished work.”
“Where?”, He said, his mind already planning on watching the surveillance videos, finding out who this piece of work was.
“Carlitas”, she said, “just…it was just one drink. He… he asked how my day was, where I was from, what I did for a living”, she shook her head, “I didn't think…”
She looked down, “he offered to walk me home. We were walking back when he…he pushed me into an alley….”
Bucky felt his fists clench and a cold sweat overcame him.
She swallowed and her hands shook.
“You don't have to… “, he started, seeing she was uncomfortable.
She squeezed his hand, and he stopped talking.
“He tried to…he ripped at my clothes…I managed to scratch his face, and I brought a knee up to his groin.”
Good girl, he thought.
“I …ran, I ran, I heard him behind me… suddenly a bus collided with a parked car and veered, it …he…,” she stopped talking.
“It hit him?” he said.
She nodded, “is it wrong that I was relieved?”, she said calmly, “what does it mean that I was relieved that a man was flattened by a bus, I… I saw him just disappear behind a wall of metal…and I was almost happy?!”
Bucky clenched his jaw and looked down, “y/n if you hadn't told me that lowlife was already dead, I can promise you I would have found him and he would have been by midnight tonight. Do not feel guilty for wishing that piece of shit dead! He doesn't deserve your pity!”
She looked down,” I'm so stupid Bucky, I just fell for it, the patter. I was so quick to see the good in him…”
“It's because you are kind, doll”, he said, “I knew that the first time I saw you helping Mrs Sinclair with her shopping.”
She looked up at him and blinked for a moment, “was that before or after you started avoiding me?” She said, smiling at him playfully.
He smiled and looked down, shaking his head, “I'm…I'm sorry doll I… I find it hard to get to know people, trust them. With my history, it's just easier to keep a wall up, push people away.”
She nodded, “I get that. I know what happened to you and… I understand…”
“So you knew, from the start, who I was, and you were okay living next to me, a former assassin, cold blooded murderer?”
She looked at him wide eyed, and jabbed a finger into his chest angrily, catching him by surprise, “I would trust you with my life,” she whispered, honestly and rather angrily,” so don't you damn say that about yourself!”
They sat in silence for a moment, then she spoke, “I'm… sorry if I was annoying when we first met, sometimes I don't know when to quit, I just sensed you were … lonely like me, I can be a bit…”
“Stubborn?” He said smiling mischievously at her, “yeah I think we have that in common, doll.”
She smiled at his pet name.
“Thank you Bucky”, she whispered.
He frowned, “for what?”
“For not letting me be alone tonight,” she said, her eyes bore into his, "I don't think I could have faced the demons alone tonight.”
He looked at her. Sat there next to him, she was smiling but it didn't meet her eyes. He saw how tired she looked and how small and fragile she seemed.
“Listen,” he said softly, putting his cup down, “say no if you want, I would understand, but this sofa is…comfortable, it's nice and firm, how about I sleep on here tonight? So you don't wake up on your own in the morning.”
She looked at him with wide eyes, “you would do that?”
He gave her a wide lop sided smile, “if you don't mind having this former assassin sleeping in the same apartment as you. If you can promise you don't snore doll!”
She shoved his arm at the snoring comment, and then answered him by gently resting her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes, “I don't mind, I feel safe with you Bucky”, she whispered.
He sat in silence, trying to remember the last time someone trusted him like this, felt comfortable in his presence so much that they would be so vulnerable.
He couldn't remember an occasion.
And his heart beat faster. He wasn't sure when it had happened but he had already decided, that he could take a chance, be her friend, maybe more, who knows? He could be whatever she needed. And maybe… maybe she would be what he needed….what he had been looking for without realising….
He listened to her heartbeat slowing and he felt her body sink against his.
He waited until she was completely asleep, then gently he lifted her, and carried her to her bed. She was light as a feather in his arms.
He gently took off her slippers, and put the covers over her, tucking her in.
She murmured,” Bucky?”
He froze and watched her face.
He squeezed her hands, “I'm here doll, I promise I'm not leaving”, he whispered.
She nodded in her sleep, “thank you Bucky, please stay.”
He felt his heart beat faster and a warmness spread in his chest. Something that used to be hard and cold within him was changing, and it was because of her.
He smiled, pushed a strand of hair out of her face and gently kissed her forehead, “night doll.” He gently breathed in her scent and smiled.
He grabbed a pillow and walked quietly to the sofa, not caring if he didn't sleep tonight. He was where he should be, and he realised he didn't want to be anywhere else.