Roswell (S. Rogers & B. Barnes)

41.

Steve sits in the dark of Bucky's room, his eyes on his girlfriend and his best friend sleeping side by side in bed. A sketchbook rests on his knees, a charcoal shard between his fingers, the sketch is almost done, well, done to anyone else's standards but Steve wants this one to be perfect. The first of many, he hopes. They both seem so peaceful and calm laying together, all the stress of Hydra just vanishing from Bucky's features, the old him shining through. Steve smiles, Roswell is good for him, for both of them, a light, a....he almost snorts....a magnet. She's a magnet for them, a beacon of light and calmness. He stands, sets his art on the dresser, and then moves to the bed.

...........

Roswell wakes to warm hands on her spine, warm and comforting and soft, she huffs a little turning her head to seek out her companion, Bucky sleeps soundly at her side, on his face, one arm under his pillow, the other under her pillow holding her hand. Not his hands on her back then. She takes a breath and turns onto her side to find the source. Steve is behind her, he pulls his hands back and smiles softly at her.

"Hey, honey" he whispers.

"Steve" she offers sleepily, her eyes showing her worry. He cups her cheek and kisses her, assuring her that they're okay. He pulls back and nudges her nose. She reaches up to touch his shoulder. "You alright?" he whispers, she nods a little.

"Why didn't you just tell me yourself?" she asks. "Instead of putting it in a letter" he twirls a strand of her hair around his finger. "I would have preferred to hear it straight from you"

"I...thought it would be easier to write it down" he admits. "As a way to get it out...." he sits on the bed with her. "I didn't want to see that look on your face if you thought this crazy" he adds. "I don't know what that would have done to us" her eyes search his. "Roswell, you are the most important person in my life, and the thought of losing you.....in any way...." he clears his throat.

"But sharing is okay?" she asks, he hums a little.

"You and Bucky" he starts. "I think that if it had gone like it had been, with you both loving one another but not being able to do anything about it........something would have snapped, and I would have lost you....or him....or both of you....and those weren't options for me" she leans closer to him, he closes the distance and presses his forehead to hers. "I know, without a single doubt, that you love me" he assures her. "I know that" he nudges her nose. "This was the only way I could see you both staying in my life, by letting you both love one another...." she wraps her arm around his neck and pulls herself into his lap, his arm snakes around her waist. He holds her closer to him so her body is pressed against his. "I love you" he whispers warmly. She strokes his cheek and smiles back.

"I love you too" she assures him, he lays her back onto the bed and then climbs from it, she frowns at him. He shakes his head and pulls his shirt over his head before climbing into Bucky's bed with them. Bucky pulls Roswell closer and nuzzles into her neck.

"Now that's all settled" he mumbles, voice thick with sleep. "Will you two shut up and sleep?" Steve chuckles laying on Roswell's other side.

"We still need to talk about this" Roswell points out between them. "Like how this is going to work........"

"Later" Bucky stops her. "After sleep"

"No" Roswell argues. "This is serious, did you two talk about this?" Bucky and Steve share a look before Steve sighs and shakes his head.

"No, we didn't" Steve admits, she sits up and turns so she's facing them, giving them both a look.

"Don't you think you should have?" she asks them. Bucky groans pushing himself onto his back and up against the headboard.

"Do we really need to set up rules and regulations and guidelines...." he asks her.

"What happens when you both want me to sleep in your bed? Or you both want to have sex? Or dates?..." Steve takes her hand and she stops talking.

"Roswell" he whispers. "We'll figure it out"

"It doesn't have to be complicated" Bucky adds. "We'll take it day by day...." she fumbles with her bracelet and nods. Steve touches her cheek and pulls her closer, she snuggles into his side as Bucky moves closer to them setting himself against her back. She relaxes between them.

"What about out there?" she asks. "What do we do about PDA?" both men frown.

"What?" Bucky asks her, she snorts.

"Public displays of affection" she explains. "Holding hands, kissing, sitting together like me and Steve do....."

"You and Buck are already pretty close" Steve points out. "It's not that out of the ordinary for you two to touch and stuff...."

"There is a difference between cheek kisses and lip-locking" Roswell scolds a little. "And what about the others?" she asks.

"If they ask" Steve offers. Bucky nods in agreement. Roswell sighs and nods.

"If they ask" she repeats quietly.

"Can we sleep now?" Bucky complains, Steve laughs, shaking Roswell.

"Yeah, Buck, we can sleep" Bucky lets out a relieved whine and snuggles into his new girlfriend, because that is what she is now, Roswell is his girlfriend. Bucky smiles to himself. Roswell is his.

"Stop grinning like an idiot" Steve scolds teasingly, Bucky kicks him. Roswell chuckles happily between the two of them, her legs tangling with theirs under the blankets. 

"This is going to get really hot really fast" Roswell points out, Bucky smirks and kisses her neck. 

"Yeah, it is" he teases, she elbows him and shakes her head. 

"I meant heat-wise, you two are furnaces...." she points out. "We're going to have to figure something out for that or I'm going to end up dying a hot sweaty mess" Steve kisses her forehead. 

"We'll talk to Jarvis about air con" he offers amused. She hums and nods accepting it.