And Steve shows him just what the serums can do. Really puts them both through their paces and by the time the sun’s just started to peek out through the heavy mist still twining around the buildings outside, the bed has worn a rough groove through the old paint, and they’re plastered against each other in a sated, sweaty mess.
When Bucky finally slips off into a blissed out sleep, it’s with arms wound around Steve and a delicious feeling of relaxation that he hasn’t felt since shipping out. Even better? There isn’t even a single nightmare. For the first time in ages, he actually, finally sleeps.
And then Bucky’s eyes flutter open. What he notices first is what’s missing: the heavy exhaustion set behind his eyes like it’s never gonna leave, or the dull headache that seems like a second shadow. He feels….refreshed? Bucky’s eyes slip closed again - just for a moment, like when you’re thinking of turning off and taking another ten - as he pats around next to him for Steve. Only to come up with nothing. Not even in a dip in the mattress or the heat left behind him. It’s like that Steve, older, wiser, sadder, worn out and so badly in need of someone to let him lean on them, never existed.
Bucky’s eyes open with all the reluctance of a fella knowing he doesn’t want to come back to Kansas. His eyebrows furrow as he stares up at the ceiling; cracked and unfamiliar, and sure as hell not what he’d been staring up at hours ago. Even the sheets feel weird; ‘course they would, because he’s dressed in his uniform minus the boots, like someone found him all sauced up and dumped him some shuteye wherever they could.
If it weren’t for the pleasant ache all over his body, you’d almost think it was all a dream. Bucky frowns up at the ceiling before he takes in a slow, measured breath like he’s gotta brace himself to face the real world, and finally turns his head to the familiar shape sitting nearby.
“Steve,” Bucky breathes out, as he looks him over. The differences are like night and day; here’s Steve looking fresh cut and clean - the very picture of America’s favorite Captain sure as hell didn’t have a beard or long hair - and without that dark shadow set in behind his eyes. “What happened?”
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timeasmymeasure
[Timeskip]
Date: 2022-06-05 04:57 am (UTC)When Bucky finally slips off into a blissed out sleep, it’s with arms wound around Steve and a delicious feeling of relaxation that he hasn’t felt since shipping out. Even better? There isn’t even a single nightmare. For the first time in ages, he actually, finally sleeps.
And then Bucky’s eyes flutter open. What he notices first is what’s missing: the heavy exhaustion set behind his eyes like it’s never gonna leave, or the dull headache that seems like a second shadow. He feels….refreshed? Bucky’s eyes slip closed again - just for a moment, like when you’re thinking of turning off and taking another ten - as he pats around next to him for Steve. Only to come up with nothing. Not even in a dip in the mattress or the heat left behind him. It’s like that Steve, older, wiser, sadder, worn out and so badly in need of someone to let him lean on them, never existed.
Bucky’s eyes open with all the reluctance of a fella knowing he doesn’t want to come back to Kansas. His eyebrows furrow as he stares up at the ceiling; cracked and unfamiliar, and sure as hell not what he’d been staring up at hours ago. Even the sheets feel weird; ‘course they would, because he’s dressed in his uniform minus the boots, like someone found him all sauced up and dumped him some shuteye wherever they could.
If it weren’t for the pleasant ache all over his body, you’d almost think it was all a dream. Bucky frowns up at the ceiling before he takes in a slow, measured breath like he’s gotta brace himself to face the real world, and finally turns his head to the familiar shape sitting nearby.
“Steve,” Bucky breathes out, as he looks him over. The differences are like night and day; here’s Steve looking fresh cut and clean - the very picture of America’s favorite Captain sure as hell didn’t have a beard or long hair - and without that dark shadow set in behind his eyes. “What happened?”