Arabella
The sun hits my eye lids, waking me up to a warmly lit ceiling. I blink a few times, my eyes blurry with sleep. I'm zoned out for a few seconds, I hear my heart beating steadily, and the soft even breathing of Bucky still sleeping next to me.
His metal arm rounded securely over my stomach, it wasn't as heavy or ridged as thought it would be in this position. Rather than sinking into me, it sat there kindly as if protecting me from any danger. He laid on his stomach, face pointed in my direction.
His brown hair sprawled out on the pillow, mouth closed shut. His defined jaw tensing every few seconds. Bucky is the most handsome man I'd ever seen. I really don't know how he fell in love with me, but I didn't want to question it much.
I am so sacred he'll realize that I'm not good enough, that I have too much baggage to deal with. My nightmares come more often than not, and sometimes I'm sad for no reason. I ran more then I stayed, and I hide away from the world.
'What if he sees I'm not the same girl he fell in love with.'
My doubts and insecurities filled me; making me try and shift away from Bucky. His arm tightens as I try to move. He groans loudly, pulling me back into his chest.
"Where are you going?" He says into my ear, goosebumps trail down my arm.
"Just uh, to the bathroom." I lied. He hums a sound of understanding and kisses me on my cheek before letting me go. Bucky turn on his side, going back to sleep.
'Well I guess I should really go.'
I tip toe quietly towards the sink, trying to be as silent as possible. I shut the door behind me softly and turn to the bathroom mirror.
I take a deep breath. I wasn't so worried about all of this before, I didn't even think about it. But seeing him next to me after all these years, just awakened the fear of losing him all over again. I grabbed my toothbrush and turned on the water, laying the toothpaste on the brush.
I brushed my teeth for a while, my mind running a thousand miles per hour. I spit out the toothpaste and rinsed my mouth. Putting the toothbrush down, I grabbed my hair brush.
'Might as well clean myself up some.' There was a knock on the door.
"You okay in there?"
"Yeah I'll be out in a second." I called to the door. I run the brush through my hair, trying to be fast. I looked at myself one last time in the mirror, and exited the bathroom. Bucky was sitting against the bed frame, looking at me with a smile.
"Good morning." I greet.
"Morning, come lay with me." I grin to him as I walk to him, it was better not to tell him how I was really feeling. I was sure it would scare him away. He opens his legs for me and spreads his arms wide as I get closer. I lay between them and snuggle my head into his chest, relishing in the fact it made me feel protected. He presses a kiss to the top of my head and hugs me.
"Well aren't you just full of kisses this morning?" I tease him, running my fingers on his bare arm.
"There's plenty when you're involved." He says as he chuckles. I smile softly at his words. "Maybe we can just stay in bed today?" he adds.
"I don't see why not, I don't have anything planned for today."
"Perfect, I get you to myself all day."
I peer up at him, his face happy and content. Seeing me staring at him, he leans down to touch his lips to mine. Pecking softly at first, then with more urgency and pressure. I move my body up, straddling him on either sides of his legs.
He puts a hand my hair, tangling it through my strands pulling gently. I pull away from the kiss, setting my hand against his chest. We smiled at each other, and he raises a hand to caress my cheek. I lean into his touch, placing another kiss on his palm.
He moves my hair to the side, and goes to kiss my neck. Suddenly he stops, taking a hand and tracing a line down my neck.
'My scar.'
I jerk my hand up, attempting to cover it from his sight.
"Hey, hey don't hide it, I want to know all of you." Bucky says soothingly, he moves my hand from my neck and brings his lips to kiss it rabidly.
"I want to kill whoever did this to you." He whispers against my neck menacingly. I put a hand on my head.
"There probably already dead."
Bucky and I spent the day wrapped in a blanket and giving each other lazy kisses and soft touches. Even now we were still in bed, watching a random cartoon. It was the little things like this that I loved. I was running my hands through Bucky's hair, him laying his head in my lap, when my phone buzzes. I pick it up from the nightstand and check it.
Pepper: Hey Arabella, I'm back in town and I was wondering if could meet up with me tomorrow? I really need someone to talk to.
Me: Sure yeah, where and what time to you want me to meet you? I have a lot to tell you too.
Pepper: Meet me at the Starbucks near the building at 3:00.
Me: Okay, see you then.
"Who are you texting?" Bucky speaks.
"Just Pepper, she wants to meet."
"Who's Pepper?" He asks confused. That's right she left before Bucky came back with Steve.
"That's Tony's girlfriend, well, they're on a break right now." I state as I continue to stroke his hair.
"Stark has a girlfriend?" He questions very surprised.
"Sure does."
"So when are you going to meet her?" he lifts his head to look back at me.
"Tomorrow at 3:00, don't worry I'm not leaving you yet."
"Good, I wouldn't have let you anyways. You said you'd spend the day with me in bed."
"True, and I am." I respond while giggling. He lays his head back down and I resume toying with his hair.
We continue to watch T.V for another hour until I grow hungry. I move his head from my lap, telling him I was going to make something for us to eat. I get to the kitchen and open the fridge pulling out eggs and bacon, it's never too late to eat breakfast, I scramble the eggs fry the bacon and toast some bread. I put it all on two plates and bring it back to the room. Bucky is already sitting up, I hand him his plate and take a seat on the other side of the bed. As we eat Bucky turns to me.
"I could get used to this, in fact I will because I want to have this every morning." I nod my head in affirmation, trying to swallow the food in my mouth.
"Sounds great." I tell him. We eat in silence for the rest of the time.
'This is definitely good progress compared to yesterday.'
"Mrs. Barnes, Mr. Stark is here to see you."
'And that may be a setback.'
I don't look at Bucky, opting to stare at the ceiling with resentment. I get up from the bed and head out to the living, before I even reach the door Bucky grabs my hand, and turns me around. I speak first quickly.
"I'm sorry, Tony found out and insisted that JARVIS call me that. I can force Tony to change it back-"
"Don't." He intercedes. "And don't be sorry, I just wanted to let you know I like it." I was taken aback by his response, not at all what I had expected.
"Okay." I reply happily, giving him a wide grin.
"Hurry back Mrs. Barnes." I laugh as I walk out the room to Tony. He's standing in the middle of my living room, fingers to his mouth, tapping them rapidly. His head snaps to me as soon as I enter.
"I know Pepper texted you, don't ask me how, I just do. You have to tell me what she said." Tony dives right in, leaving me no room to ask why he was here.
"Right… ok, you guys are on a break, I don't think she would appreciate me telling you anything about her."
"Well that's the thing, I've been trying to get her back. I sent her presents and romantic things for the past few weeks, then she came back to New York. I just have to know what it is she told you." He pleads with me, desperation clear in his voice.
I raise an eyebrow. Tony Stark begging for a woman back. Great, now I'm going to feel bad if I keep it to myself.
'He's like my brother, I can't leave him hanging.'
I sigh. "She just wanted to meet me tomorrow, she said she needed someone to talk to." He nods, rubbing his chin.
"She could want to talk about anything with you, perfect, she's in town and I don't even know if she still cares about me, much less want to talk about me." Tony rambles, arguing to me about her reasons.
"Tony when she says she needs someone to talk to, to me, it's usually about you." I point out.
"Really, how do you know?" he presses.
"Pepper came to talk with me before she left." I see sadness enter his eyes. "I don't know what she wants to talk about now, but I do know that she still loves you. She always has no matter what." I insist to him with certainty.
"You're the best Ara, I might buy you a nice present, maybe something pretty." And there's the Tony everyone knows and more or less loves. He treads back to the lift, I call out to him before the doors slide shut.
"Yeah you're just lucky Bucky wasn't upset because JARVIS called me 'Mrs. Barnes'. If he was, I wouldn't have told you anything." He smirks at me from his spot, lifting his hand to wave goodbye.