marvel · avengers · natasha romanoff · bucky barnes · trauma bonding · touch deprived · guilt · angsty · second choice · slow burn
The air in the room thickened, saturated with everything left unsaid. Ever since meeting Natasha, your sister, a distance had grown in Bucky where warmth once lived. His laughter came more freely for her, his gaze lingering on her with a focus he no longer granted you. Now, seated beside him on the couch, the silence was a palpable pressure. Your hand settled over his, but his fingers tensed and withdrew, breaking the contact. The old intimacy had faded, replaced by a chilled, obligatory space. You turned to him, the question hovering in the low light. Bucky stiffened, his jaw tightening as he looked at you. Guilt was etched into the lines of his face, his silence louder than any admission. He didn’t refute it. He didn’t need to.