These characters are not mine.
Steve/Bucky slash. Songfiction. It has been a short time after Bucky and Steve have been reunited after Bucky has been rehabilitated from his Winter Soldier days; after Bucky has fallen back to sleep after another night terror, Steve can't help but watch how peaceful he is.
I Don't Want To Miss a Thing
Steve no longer felt sleepy. As much as he wanted to, he could not bring himself to that point… not that he was complaining. As long as Bucky was sleeping easily, he was happy. He could still hardly believe that this was real, that Bucky was alive and with him again. How could it be?
He knew that Bucky would not be the same as he was, that he would be shell-shocked from his experiences as a prisoner of the Soviets and as one of their main assassins. But it still hurt Steve to hear Bucky screaming and crying in his sleep and then feel his body racking with sobs as Steve held him and tried as best as he could to comfort him. Tears stung Steve's eyes and he tried to regain his own composure as he remembered that if Bucky had not fallen from the train all those years ago, he would not have suffered under his Soviet captors. He forced those thoughts from his mind as he focused on the man in his arms, grateful that he was alive and that he was real.
"You have no idea how good it is to hold you again," Bucky gasped tiredly as he laid his head on Steve's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, "It feels like forever since we last…!"
"I know, soldier," Steve crooned as he gently stroked Bucky's midnight hair, caressing his tender skin like he was afraid that he would break him, "I've relived that moment on the train too many times…! And now you're with me again…! Oh Bucky, I love you…!" He bent his head, kissing the rumpled hair that rested beneath his chin, earning a squeeze from Bucky.
Now that Bucky lie dozing, Steve watched him gratefully as he slowly drifted to sleep. His steady, rhythmic breathing was warm against Steve's naked chest and he no longer cared that he was awake at half-past two in the morning. He and Bucky had done their marathon nights before, but this was different. The man he loved, whom he thought was dead, and whom he thought was beyond reach, was with him again and was sleeping on top of him, a welcome weight after too many lonely nights.
Steve watched fondly as Bucky nuzzled into him. Bucky used to be the strong one, his protector, used to be bigger than him and Steve was amazed at how their roles had shifted. But he didn't care about that. He only cared now that Bucky was safe and happy, that they were together again.
Bucky seemed so vulnerable now as he slept curled around Steve and Steve felt his eyes brimming as he smiled upon his sleeping lover. He was so beautiful and he seemed so delicate after all that he had endured. He felt Bucky's heart beating near his own and relief washed over him as he sensed that Bucky was dreaming sweet dreams. Was he dreaming of Steve? Was he dreaming of old times? It only mattered to Steve that he was happy. He wept quietly for pure joy, rejoicing that Bucky was with him again. He couldn't bear for this to end.
Steve could finally feel his eyelids growing heavy. It felt like a mixed blessing, since he was content to feel the solid proof that his Bucky had returned to him. Sleep would win this battle, but he reminded himself that sleep would only be temporary and that Bucky would be there when they awoke in the morning.
"I love you, soldier," Steve murmured as Bucky's soft, rhythmic breathing finally lulled him into an equally peaceful sleep, their arms still wrapped around each other.