In Love On Fire * Buckyxreader *

"Can you talk right now?"

After the car pulled into the compound, Happy opened the door and you stepped out, smiling, you hurried inside and straight to your room. Shutting the door and landing all your weight against it, you slid down until you were sitting with your knees against your chest. The damn finally broke and you didn't expect the tears to stop sliding down your cheeks for a while, you put your head in your hands as that day continued looping in your mind, over and over.

You ran to your car, thankful that you had brought it and sat in the driver's seat, looking at your hands, tears still rolling down your cheeks.

"What... is wrong with me?" You asked yourself, the burns that now covered most of your body slowly turning your palms red.

You looked over to the fare and saw James storming over, he opened the door and slid into the seat beside you, "I am so sorry, James," You spoke softly, reaching for his face.

He flinched.

You felt a wave of guilt and fear shooting through your body and you paused, pulling your hand back to grip the steering wheel.

"What was that?" He asked, his voice that was usually light and squeaky now stern with rage as he refused to look at you, you thought, keeping your eyes glued to the car parked in front of yours.

"I- I don't know," You replied, the tears slowing as your fear turned to confusion.

"Let's just leave." He put his seat belt on. You started the car and drove the most painful, silent and heartbreaking drive home you had ever experienced.

That day was the last time your brother let you hold his hand, the last time you laughed together. You moved out during the autumn to get things under control and hadn't seen him since.

"Y/n?" A voice from the other side of the door snapped you out of the memory, you hadn't thought about how loud you were sobbing, you quickly wiped at your streaky face and stood up to open the door.

"Hey! What's up?" You smiled at him pretending you hadn't just been bawling on the floor.

"Are you okay?" Bucky stepped forward and put his hand on your shoulder, the cold metal sending a chill over you.

That little bit of support from him was enough to set it off again and you brought your hands to your face as the tears came back. He brought you into a hug staying silent as you pushed your face into his chest.

A few moments passed, muffled sobs racked through your chest, your hands gripped his shirt as he ran his over your back. When it felt like you had entirely ran out of tears you stepped back; Feeling slightly embarrassed at how you had let your emotions get the better of you. You went to sit in one of the plush chairs in the corner of your room, he shut the door behind him and followed sitting on the one opposite.

You brought your knees to your chest, and as you were about to apologize he spoke up, "I hope you know that if you ever wanna- need to, talk, then I'm here y/n. Always." His voice was deeply sincere as he looked into your eyes

The only times you had really genuinely smiled today were when you were with him.

"Can you talk right now?" You asked sniffling, he smiled and nodded.

You went on to tell Bucky everything, about James, about the fare, about things you never thought you'd tell another soul. But with Bucky it was easy. The whole time, every tear, every hesitation, he listened, he never once interrupted or made you feel crazy for what had happened, he understood, he cared. Something you never expected from a man you only met 2 months ago.

"I wrote him a couple letters, they felt less overwhelming than texts, but he never responded, my mom did though, she told me about their new dog, and about James going off to college." You smiled, rummaging through a box that sat under your bed, you picked up one of the letters and handed it to Bucky.

"He's a genius and I don't even understand how we're related," You chuckled and as Bucky read the letter so did he. Watching him read it made you feel like your heart, the part of it that the man from the fare had broken, was whole again. Out of everything you told the soldier today, these notes from your parents were the most personal thing you owned, you never thought you'd be in the situation where you could show them to anyone, but Bucky was different and you knew that you could trust him with them.

"So where did you go when you left? If you don't mind me asking."

"Well at first I just stayed with friends, bouncing around for a little while, but they all had to go to college and after the accident school didn't really seem right for me." You paused and looked at Bucky, he watched as you fidgeted with your gloves, "So I got the college fund my parents had set up for me and went around the country, picking up odd jobs and learning how to control... everything." You let out a sigh as his eyes snapped up to meet yours, his brows furrowed.

"For five years?" You nodded, and his concern seemed to turn into pride, "I gotta say you are much braver than I could ever be."

You ended up talking for a few more hours, Bucky started to open up about his past too, things you could never read in museums or files, and you gave him the exact response he gave you; Listening intently to every story and laughing with him over every embarrassing story he shared about Steve.

Bucky was able to recall almost every back alley fight Steve had gotten into as they grew up. The bully in high school who shoved some 1st year into his locker and took his money, Steve ended up getting beaten to a pulp in the boys toilets. The brute who Steve caught sweet talking a woman who was far too intoxicated for his liking, Bucky found him with a black eye and a broken finger that night.

Steve had always expressed his fear that Bucky might never get his memories back but, perhaps it was a sign of how much he treasured his friend, he was having no problems with the detailed tales.

It was getting late and a lull of silence filled the air, "Do you wanna go and get a take out?" You asked, you hadn't eaten since before the conference and the thought had been distracting you for a while.

"I would love to." He replied standing up. You asked him to meet you out front and got changed out of the now tear stained suit into jeans and a hoodie. You checked your face to make sure the insane amount of crying hadn't stained your face to and went on your way.