Bound To You (Bucky Barnes X OC)

The Offer

After her scan, Jade met the girls in the spare bedroom and they handed her some clothes to borrow. They gave her quick hugs and made her promise to let them know if she needed anything before leaving her to clean up. She turned the nozzle on in the shower and stepped into the molten hot water.

She stood in the shower still feeling numb about the day's events. Where was she going to go now? Were any of her belongings even salvageable? Her poor car was probably wrecked since it was parked on the street right below her apartment. A million questions ran through her head as she washed away the grime clinging to her body, careful to avoid the throbbing spot on her head. There were so many things to do that she didn't know where to start, but she was good at starting over. Rebuilding from scratch was nothing new to her.

The explosion still baffled her. It was clearly more than some freak accident. After hearing Steve on the phone, she knew it had to have been planned. But who was the target? Was it Steve? He was one of Earth's mightiest heroes. He was sure to have a plethora of enemies gunning for him. Jade briefly wondered if she had been the target, but once again shook off the negative thoughts creeping into her head. She had kept a relatively low profile and she was sure that her problems were firmly planted in the past.

As hard as she tried, the seed of doubt that had taken root just wouldn't leave her alone. If there was even the slightest chance that this happened because of her, it was only a matter of time until Steve and Bucky found out. Over the past three years, she tried to talk to the team about the secrets she had buried over the course of her life, but she always found an excuse not to.

If they found out before she told them, would they truly understand? They may be wary at first, but she had proved her loyalty to them. Fear took hold of her chest, but she reassured herself that Steve and Bucky would understand. They were her best friends. They'd stand beside her no matter what. Right?

After showering, Jade changed into the ripped jeans Nat let her borrow and a t-shirt and jacket Wanda gave her. She walked out of the spare room with her mind still reeling to find Bucky sitting on the floor across from the bedroom waiting on her. He looked up as she emerged and gave her a weak smile as she crossed the hallway to him.

"Hey, Bucky. You okay?"

Jade took a seat on the floor next to him. He scoffed and then looked over at her.

"You get blown up and you're asking me if I'm okay?" He questioned.

Jade smirked at him and then laid her head back against the wall.

"I didn't get blown up. If that was the case, I'd be splattered on a wall. Not sitting here next to you."

"Seriously, Jade?" Bucky groaned at her joke.

"Sorry, habit." She said quietly. "What I meant was...I wasn't blown up, there just happened to be an explosion next to my apartment."

"Same thing." He said.

"Eh, agree to disagree." She chuckled.

They sat silently for a moment before Bucky spoke again.

"I really am glad you're okay. You're the only person I have besides Steve. If I lost you..." Bucky trailed off.

Jade looked at Bucky. He was staring at his lap not looking at her, but she could tell his eyes were turning red from fighting off tears. She smiled softly and reached over to interlace her fingers with his. He didn't look up, but gave her hand a soft squeeze which she returned. He placed his metal hand over their intertwined ones and began tracing small circles on the back of her hand. Jade sighed contentedly and closed her eyes, taking this short break from the chaos to enjoy Bucky's gentle touch. Every slow circle made her skin tingle, but that was nothing new. Every touch Bucky bestowed on her felt like a shock to her body and she'd be a damn liar if she said she didn't love every minute of it.