Just Roommates

Chapter Ten

"Uh, yeah. I'm here," she replied. Her voice sounded off and congested. Maybe she was sick...

"You ok? I thought I heard sniffling," Bucky continued, leaning on the door and looking down at the soft orange hue hitting his feet from the slight crack where the door and floor didn't meet.

Again another sniffle. "Um, I'm ok. Sorry to bother you."

"How come I don't believe you?" he said, clearly knowing she wasn't ok. There was silence on the other end. No answer. "Y/N, what's going on?"

"Nothing," A meek answer came after a few seconds. Then more sounds of shuffling blankets and sniffling.

"It's really hard to lie to your best friend, you know? Even if I can't see your face," He waited for any sound to come, but nothing did. "Can I come in?" Nothing. "Ok fine. You leave me no choice."

He placed his hand on the doorknob and slowly turned it, giving her time to stop him if she wanted to. As he slowly opened it, he noticed the lamp he had pictured earlier was the only light source in the room. Dimly lit, but just enough to illuminate the lump of blankets in a huddle on the bed. She was on the side closest to the window where the ledge and her bed met.

She was looking out into the view of the city their flat offered and had on the largest hoodie she owned, or should we say the largest hoodie Bucky owned. The hood was thrown over her head creating a veil where Bucky couldn't see her face. She had what looked like 5 different blankets wrapped around her, near her, and by her. She was cocooned into the nook of the bed and looking out not even paying mind to Bucky coming in.

"Hey, Sassy," he said quietly, loosening his tie and rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt as he walked to her in very slow steps. Still nothing. "What's going on with you?"

It wasn't until he had gotten about 5 feet away that he saw one side of her face. The moonlight from the window was creating more of a shine than the lights in the room and exposed the tear-stained reddened cheeks of his best friend.

"Hey," he said, now worried and moving quickly to sit on the bed. Close to her, but still far enough that she had some space. He placed a hand on her knee seeing that she still didn't move, but that touch was what snapped her out of her daze.

She turned slowly, showing the reddened face he saw in the moonlight, blotchy and weary from crying. Bucky only knew this was a bad cry because he had seen this only once before, and it was forever engraved in his memory.

Seeing her like that the first time was something he never wanted to experience again. He could feel the pain and hurt radiate off her, and he never wanted her to feel anything like that.

"God. Y/N, what-" he said, moving in more. Forget about space.

"He has someone else," was all she said before breaking down again.

Bucky immediately moved in to scoop her from her spot. He pulled her in, staying in the corner she had been in. He knew from past panic attacks and anxiety problems that being in a tighter area/ held helped sometimes. He knew it helped Y/N from when she showed signs of anxiety when they first met. It was something they bonded and grew with each other in. Y/N came from a stressed and traumatic home life and Bucky came back from overseas.

"Hey, hey, hey. Breath. Focus on your breathing," he coached quietly, rocking her in their spot as she folded into him. Now practically in his lap as he ran his fingers through her hair.

She wasn't in the hyperventilating stages of crying, but the sniffle and light sob stage. He probably missed that stage considering how red her eyes were, but she was clinging to him like a life raft.