Unlimited || Bucky Barnes

The Safe Place

As much as I wanted to blush and savor the moment, I knew that we had to get out of here as quickly as possible. I grinned widely, then shook my cuffs at Bucky to break them. He took the chain in his metal hand and crushed it in two. I grabbed the shocker and threw it to the ground, stepping on it furiously. Bucky grabbed my hand and we ran out of the room, and down the corridor. Our sprints echoed through the dark empty halls, giving us a smaller chance to make a successful getaway. He slammed his hand on a button on the wall to open the doors, but the access was denied. He groaned in frustration, and raised his arm to punch his way through. Quickly, I rose my hands to the doors and exerted a pulse of energy, crushing the doors and sending the slabs of metal forward. Bucky slowly turned to me and smirked, lowering his arm.

Bullets came flying from behind us, many men in black pacing after us. One was yelling commands at the shooters, another was contacting more troops. Bucky shoved me behind him, and held his arm out to deflect any bullets. I had a firm hold onto the back of Bucky's jacket, steadily keeping us moving in reverse. Bucky was unarmed and couldn't do anything but defend against the agents. As they pushed forward, I flicked my wrists left and right, shoving Hydra agents against the walls and to the ground. When most of the men were taken out, leaving the remainder of them deficient of bullets, Bucky and I turned on our heels and bolted out the doors.

"Get on!" Bucky yelled, pulling me to a motorcycle parked outside the entrance. I hopped on and wrapped myself around Bucky's waist, praying that he knew how to drive a motorcycle. As soon as he did a full one-eighty spin towards the gate, my doubt had obviously disappeared.

We zoomed past the entrance, dodging bullets as we flew out the near-closing Hydra gates. The giant metal bars were heading to a finish when Bucky pulled his wrist back and we shot straight forward, out of the facility.

The hard crisp air pushed my hair out of my face, and Bucky's leather crackled against my skin. It was silent except for the wind and the thumping of my pulse in my ears.

'So you like listening to me snore, hm?'

I saw his ears raise and his cheeks get bigger, so I knew he was smiling like a dork.

'Shut up.'

I giggled and kept my head close to his shoulder blades. The freezing air made my nose numb and my fingers frigid. Bucky pulled back his wrist once more and we cycled faster and faster until we flew into the Avenger's Tower.

He parked and lifted me off of the motorcycle, one arm under my back and one arm under my legs. This was better than before because I could wrap my arm around his neck and pull him closer with my other. He faced me and pulled his forehead to mine, our noses merely grazing each other. His warm breath tickled against my neck and I couldn't help but smile. His gaze was fixed on me, and soon enough his grin was spreading across his face. I wrapped my fingers in his hair and slowly pulled him closer. His lips touched mine, although I felt like I was kissing his smile more than anything.

After our cheesy yet indescribable moment, we paced inside and up the elevator. He asked Jarvis to bring us to the conference room, where the AI continued to tell us all the Avengers were there. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Steve ran straight to us, almost tripping on his own feet.

"Where were you? What happened? Is she okay?" Steve babbled.

Bucky and I smiled. His hand rubbed against my arm and chills yet again found their way up my skin.

"Yes Steve, she's fine. I'm doing good too thanks," Bucky chuckled.

The joke went completely over Steve's head as he pursued his questions. "Darby, what happened? We went off to search for Bucky, but we rushed back when Bruce said you were missing."

"Well Hydra brainwashed Bucky again and they sent him to capture me, which he did successfully, I might add," I explained, confusing everyone with my somewhat chipper manner. They all kept their eyes on me, seemingly perplexed as to why I was so cheery after being kidnapped.

"But we made it out. Bucky rescued me," I grinned back to Buck, placing a hand over his chest.

"She rescued me," Bucky contrasted.

"Stop being a dork Barnes, no one is competing with you," Clint hollered from the table.

I shook my head and attempted to hide a smile. Bucky's cheeks turned pink, and his grin could not be contained. His mouth turned upwards and the tops of his teeth showed, and then his bottom lip lowered, displaying his full smile. I loved the way his smile was progressive like that, because it was almost as if his happiness was unfolding before you.

"So you really are okay?" Steve added, examining me up and down.

"Really Steve, I'm okay. Now go hug your friend," I dismissed him.

Steve smiled and ran over the hug Bucky. Buck added a few pats on the back and a toothy grin. Everyone, including Fury, came up to us and told us both how glad they were to have us back safe and sound.

..........

Night was falling, and Bucky and I finally made our way to our room. I felt like I had lived ten years in a couple weeks. Ecstatic couldn't begin to describe how relived we were when we plopped onto the couch. I loved that couch so much because a lot that has happened to me happened on that couch. Memories plucked in the upholstery of the leather, as well as dreams and nightmares tucked into the creases. Bucky told me his stories on that couch. Bucky held me when I was crying on that couch, as well as when I fell asleep in his lap. I spent countless hours watching tv with Bucky on that couch, almost as many times I slept there because I was too weak to leave. Or maybe I never left that couch because I knew that it could cheer me up eventually. Nothing bad happens on that couch.

We curled up together on the magical slab of leather and started season six of Friends. He was laying on his back and I was sprawled across his chest with one of his arms wrapped around me. His minty musk sent in a wave of familiarity, like it's something that has always been around, something that should always be around. I giggled to myself every time I thought about my nickname I gave him. Walking mint leaf is a nickname that I use for myself, not one I would tell Bucky. Anyone else would think I was weird for choosing that particular one, but to me, it made sense for some odd reason.

Gruff laughs rumbled and Bucky's chest quaked as he laughed. Joey seemed to make him giggle, and watching him try to figure out the jokes were almost funnier than the jokes themselves. I was never really watching television though, only listening to Bucky's heartbeat thump against his chest.

This was my safe place.

He was my mint leaf.

And as it turns out, not only was he my life raft, but I was his.

With Bucky, I was able to overcome my own fears. With him, I found a new meaning to the word "safe". It's not when you were confined in a house 24/7, doing nothing but read. Safe meant finding something comforting when everything around you wasn't. When I was with Bucky, I felt safe. I am unmeasurable grateful for Bucky and everything he has done for me. He was nothing but sweet and kind, smart. Loving.

I felt extremely lucky to have someone like that feel the same thing about me. Maybe not exactly like that, as I am a little impatient and at times weak. But his warm embrace around me right now made me feel like the puzzle piece that fit perfectly to him.

I'm anxious, but he is calm, and knows how to be soothing. He sometimes feels like he is not worthy because of his past, but I know that he is because I see through that, even if he doesn't. We both see ourselves as monsters sometimes, but that is what draws us together. Our individual fears bring out the best in each other. Bucky's comfort has shown itself when I was at my low, and when I found out about my parents, my loyalty kept me by Bucky's side.

I value Bucky. I care for Bucky, in a way that is undeniable. Above all, I love Bucky. I love him with my whole heart so much that it hurts sometimes. It's probably the best kind of pain though because no matter how much it hurts, you keep wanting more.

My love for Bucky is infinite. Endless.

Unlimited.