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The night was ordinary in the best way. You were tangled on the couch with Bucky, your legs draped across his lap while he absentmindedly traced circles on your calf with his thumb.
A half-watched movie flickered on the TV, though neither of you were paying much attention. You were too busy laughing at the commentary he kept muttering under his breath.
“Pretty sure I could take that guy,” he said as the action hero on-screen delivered some over-the-top stunt.
You grinned, nudging his arm. “Sure you could. You’d trip over your own boots first.”
“Doll,” he gasped in mock offense, though the smile tugging at his lips betrayed him. He shifted, metal fingers catching your hand and giving it a squeeze. “I’m graceful when I need to be.”
“Mm-hm,” you teased, leaning in to press a quick kiss to his jaw.
He smelled like the soap you loved, warm and clean, and your chest felt full with the simple, quiet intimacy of it all.
That’s when his phone buzzed.
The sound sliced through the cozy atmosphere instantly. You both stilled.
Missions rarely came at convenient hours, and the weight that settled over Bucky’s expression as he reached for the device confirmed what you already suspected.
He glanced at the screen, then at you, apology already written across his face. “It’s Steve.”
Your stomach sank. “Go on. Answer.”
He hesitated for half a second, as if reluctant to let the moment break, then swiped the call open.
You listened to the low rumble of Steve’s voice on the other end, couldn’t make out the words, only the clipped, efficient tone.
Bucky’s replies were quiet and short “yeses” and a soft “understood.”
When he hung up, he didn’t need to say it. You already knew.
“Mission?” you asked softly.
“Yeah.” His flesh hand rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s supposed to be a quick one, but I gotta leave tonight.”
You tried to smile, even though disappointment tugged at your chest. “Guess movie night’s postponed.”
Bucky’s lips pressed into a thin line. He reached for you, pulling you into his lap like he couldn’t stand even a few feet of distance.
His forehead dropped against yours, the stubble on his jaw scratching your skin.
“I hate leavin’ you like this,” he muttered. “Feels wrong.”
Your hand cupped his cheek, thumb brushing the faint crease between his brows. “You’re coming back. That’s what matters.”
He kissed you then, slow and lingering, like he was memorizing the shape of your mouth, the feel of you breathing against him.
And when he finally pulled away, he stayed close enough that his words ghosted across your lips.
“Promise me you’ll sleep. Don’t stay up worryin’ about me.”
You gave a soft laugh, trying to lighten the mood. “I’ll sleep if you sleep.”
He huffed a quiet sound that wasn’t quite a laugh. “Deal.”
But you both knew it wasn’t that simple.
-----
The silence pressed in as soon as the door shut behind him. You stood there for a moment, staring at the space he’d just occupied, the faint echo of his presence lingering like the smell of his cologne in the air.
The apartment had never felt empty before Bucky moved in, but now it seemed too big, too hollow without him.
The couch looked wrong without his long frame sprawled across it; the bed seemed to resist you, the sheets cool and unwelcoming without the weight of him sinking the mattress.
You tried to settle in. Took a hot shower and slid into one of his henleys that still carried the faint, comforting scent of him.
You curled up in bed with a book, but the words blurred after a page.
The clock ticked too loud. The shadows stretched too long. Every creak in the apartment reminded you he wasn’t there to roll over and mumble, “It’s nothing, doll. Go back to sleep.”
You knew it had to be worse for him. Bucky never liked sleeping alone. He wouldn’t admit it often, but when he did, it was with a rare vulnerability—how your presence anchored him, pulled him out of the nightmares before they could drag him too far.
You grounded him in ways even he didn’t fully understand.
So, while you lay awake staring at the ceiling, you couldn’t help but wonder if he was doing the same in some safe house bed, staring at the cracks in the plaster and wishing you were there.
Almost as if your thoughts pulled him across the miles, your phone buzzed against the nightstand.
Incoming Call: Bucky 💙
You scrambled for it, heart leaping, and answered on the first ring.
“Hey,” you whispered, breathless like you’d just run a mile.
His voice came through low and rough, like he hadn’t spoken in hours. “Doll… you still awake?”
A smile tugged at your lips, relief washing over you just at the sound of him. “Could ask you the same thing, Buck. Shouldn’t you be getting some rest?”
There was a pause, the faint rustle of him shifting on the other end. Then, quietly, almost sheepishly, “Can’t sleep without you.”
The words made your chest ache and flutter all at once.
You shifted under the covers, tucking the phone closer like proximity could make up for distance. “You’re sweet, you know that?”
“Sweet?” Bucky huffed softly, and you could almost picture the little tilt of his mouth when he got self-conscious. “Doll, that’s not the word most people use for me.”
“Well, most people don’t know you the way I do.” You grinned, letting your voice soften. “Big bad Winter Soldier, completely undone if he doesn’t have someone to hog the covers from.”
“Hey, I don’t hog the covers,” he protested immediately.
“You do. I wake up freezing half the time.”
“Only ‘cause you curl up against me and steal all my heat.” His voice dipped, warm and playful. “Can’t blame me for wanting to keep you close.”
You felt your cheeks warm, biting back a smile. “Smooth, Barnes. Real smooth.”
“Am I wrong?” he murmured.
“No,” you admitted softly.
There was a beat of quiet. You could hear him exhale, slow and deep, like just hearing your voice made the tension leave his shoulders.
“Wish you were here,” he said at last, voice low, vulnerable. “Bed’s too damn big without you. Feels… wrong.”
Your heart ached. “I know, Buck. I miss you too.”
He went quiet again, then cleared his throat like he was trying to sound casual.
“Think… maybe you could stay on the line? Just… talk to me ‘til I fall asleep? Maybe even fall asleep with me?”
The thought of it melted you. “You want me to sleep on call with you?”
“Yeah.” His tone was almost boyish, hopeful in a way that made you want to kiss him through the phone. “Won’t be the same, but… it’ll be something.”
You smiled, settling deeper into the pillows. “Of course, Buck. You never even have to ask.”
“You’re an angel,” he murmured. “Don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
“You saved the world a couple times; maybe that helped.”
He gave a low chuckle, and you could hear the way his smile softened. “Nah. If the world gave me you as a reward, then I definitely got more than my share.”
“Careful, Barnes,” you teased. “At this rate, I might think you’re trying to charm me into sneaking onto that mission just to keep you company.”
“Not the worst idea I’ve had,” he muttered, and you laughed, the sound easing both your hearts.
You turned onto your side, letting the sound of his voice fill the dark. “So, what’s the plan? You gonna bore me with mission details until I pass out?”
Bucky snorted quietly. “You’d be asleep in five minutes if I did. No, I was thinkin’… Maybe you could just talk. Tell me about your day. Pretend I’m right there on the couch listenin’.”
So you did. You told him about the little things, the neighbor’s dog getting loose again, the new recipe you tried (and burned), and the book you’d started but couldn’t finish.
Mundane details, but the way Bucky hummed in response and the occasional soft chuckle he gave told you he was soaking in every word.
Eventually, his side of the line grew quieter. His breathing slowed and deepened.
“You still with me, Buck?” you whispered.
“Mhm.” His voice was thick with sleep, words dragging. “Just… feels like you’re here. Keep talkin’, doll. Love hearin’ you.”
Your throat tightened. You wanted to tell him a thousand things: that you loved him, that you’d be there the second he got back, and that he deserved all the peace in the world. But you settled for the gentlest truth.
“I love you, Bucky.”
There was a rustle, like he shifted under thin sheets, and then a low murmur, barely audible. “Love you more. Always.”
You smiled against your pillow, eyes stinging with warmth. “Close your eyes, Buck. I’ll be here in the morning.”
A quiet hum was the only reply, followed by the steady rhythm of his breathing as he finally drifted off.
You let your own eyes close, phone still pressed to your ear, the sound of him grounding you just as much as you did for him.
Distance might have pulled you apart tonight, but sleep carried you both into the same dream, side by side.
And when morning came, you woke up to the same call screen still glowing faintly...
Bucky 💙 Connected.