Nap With Me

Bucky trudged towards his apartment door, his comforter wrapped around his head and shoulders. Looking like a very large, dark, babushka. Grumpily, he pulled the door open; but his striking blue eyes softened when he realized who was on the other side. His plump lips pulled up into a small smile,

"Hey Doll." He greeted her softly as he stepped aside to let her into his apartment.

"Hey," She murmured back, "I called a few times, but you didn't answer." She paused, stepping onto the tips of her toes to brush a kiss against his lips. They'd been dating well over a year now, but had found out--the hard way--that it was better if she didn't show up in his apartment unannounced. "I'm sorry if I woke you."

"You of all people have no reason to be sorry." Buck mumured, letting his comforter fall from his shoulders as he wrapped her up in his arms. He held her smaller frame against her, and buried his face into her hair. He felt her relax against him, and sighed when she let her fingers dance softly over the skin on his back.

She giggled when Hersey, Bucky's chocolate lab--and therapy dog--bumped his nose against her leg and whined, "Oh," She smiled, crouching down so that just could kiss the top of Hersey's head. "I know, I have to give you lovin' too, that's the rule."

The lab snuffed like he was agreeing, and that made both of the humans laugh.

"Are you hungry, or anything, Doll?" Buck asked, moving to the fridge and peering inside of it for a moment before pulling out some pineapple that he had cut up earlier. Popping a piece into his mouth, he raised an eyebrow at her as he waited for her to answer.

"Not really," She murmured, all the while stealing a piece of fruit, "I just figured I'd stop by..." She paused, "and see if we could catch a quick nap."

She giggled when she heard Bucky laugh.

"You know I never turn down a nap, doll."

That much was true, she knew. After everything that Bucky had been through, his sleeping pattern was practically nonexistent. He often napped a few times a day, and caught--if he was lucky--three hours at night. She also knew that Bucky slept better when she was with him, he'd told her that, himself, more than once.

She kissed his shoulder as he passed, pretending not to notice his wince over the fact that she had chosen to kiss his bionic shoulder.

"Maybe we could take Hersey for a walk when we get up and around?"

"It's a date," Bucky murmured with a smile, threading his fingers through hers and tugging her towards his room. He stopped for a moment to scoop up his comforter and then continued on to his room. He chuckled as she didn't even hesitate to kick off her shoes, or tug her hoodie over her head and drop it to the floor. He climbed onto the bed, laying on his back and watching as she pulled her hairband from her hair. Letting her dark hair fall into soft curls that fell over her shoulders.

She clambered onto the bed then, smirking at him before she straddled his hips. Bending at the waist so she could press her lips against his. His hands found her hips and he squeezed her warm flesh softly. His body rushing with heat when she bit his bottom lip.

"Nap," He gasped gently, "You said you wanted to nap with me." His voice was soft as his flesh fingers moved to thread through her hair. She shot him a playful glare and ignored his gentle urging move to lay against his right side, instead of his left. She moved to his left, and tucked herself gently between his body and the wall. "Doll," Bucky murmured, "I think you should--."

"I know what you think I should do." She whispered, her cheek resting against his left pec, she turned her head and pressed her lips against his skin, feeling him tense up when her lips brushed against his scars. "If it makes you totally uncomfortable, I will move...but I'm just fine right here." She smiled when she felt his left hand come to rest against her hip, as he sighed gently in defeat.

"And plus," She added with a snort, "This way I won't have to listen to you bitch about your arm going numb when we wake up."

His breath, which he had been holding, whooshed out of his lungs in a small laugh. He didn't know how she was able to do that. To make him feel better about almost any situation that they were thrown into...but Christ Almighty, was he thankful that she could.

"I just don't want you to get--."

"Bucky, shut up. Some of us are trying to sleep."

He grinned, god damn...he loved this woman. He nuzzled her temple, his lips brushing against her soft skin. He felt her sigh, her breath hitting his skin in a gentle puff. Her fingers drew random patterns against his skin. Bucky felt himself start to relax, his normally over alert eyes falling to half mast. He shifted slightly, cradling her move towards him. Noticing that for the first time in a very long time, that his left side didn't feel quite so cold.

She knew the minute that Bucky fell asleep, but she continued to draw random patterns against his skin. The steady beat of his heart eventually lulling her off into sleep as well.

Bucky woke sometime later, pressure on his left side instantly ripped him out of the relaxed haze he had been in. He went to jerk away, but then heard her soft sound of protest. Squeezing his eyes shut to get his bearings, he listened to her even breathing and tried to match it with his own. Letting his eyes drift back open, he looked down at the woman beside him. He felt that she had managed to get her left leg wedged between both of his and that her hand rested against his belly. Buck carefully lifted his left hand and cradled the back of her head, his lips meeting her her temple.

"I love you." He whispered, something in his chest loosening at finally admitting it out loud. He let her sleep, content to let her burrow against him. He loved cuddling. Especially because it was one of the only times he didn't feel cold.
He may or may not have dozed back off, with his face buried in her hair. His laughter woke her the second time he woke. He had found it completely hilarious that she'd somehow shifted while she was asleep, and ended up with the lines from the grooves of his bionic arm, imprinted on her face. She'd swatted him on the chest, halfheartedly. She wasn't able to be angry with him, with the sound of his laughter echoing in her ears and bouncing off of the walls, who could be?

They walked slowly later that evening, Hersey content on walking a few paces ahead of them. He stopped every now and again to sniff and snuff before continuing on his way. Bucky looked up when she eventually stopped walking, the tug on his hand stopping him in his tracks and making him turn to look back at her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up so her body was flush against his, and kissed Bucky soundly. She grinned up at him, loving the way the evening sun reflected in his azure orbs,

"I love you, too, Barnes. Just so you know."