This is War (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier x reader)

Chapter nine

You stood, frozen to the spot, as the brutal fight between Captain America, Iron Man and the Winter Soldier raged on. In the heat of the battle, no one had noticed you, partially hidden as you were by a rock column, and you couldn't force yourself to move.

You knew that if you ran into the middle of that fight, you'd only distract Steve and Bucky, which could cost all three of you your lives. But standing there without being able to do a damn thing while your two best friends fought for their lives was tearing you apart.

Wait, you told yourself as the two super-soldiers closed in to fight close-range. Stay alive and help them once the fighting's over. They'll be injured, they'll need medical attention. You still found your breathing quickening, it was like watching a movie without a pause button. There was nothing you could do to stop it.

Steve was the first to go down, hitting the wall hard as Bucky took over, landing several good hits until he could go for the arc reactor, his metal fingers digging into the arc reactor's housing in an effort to disable the suit. You heard a sound very similar to a repulsor powering up, then a blinding flash of light tore through the space.

That got you moving. Before you even registered it, your feet carried you to Bucky's side, where you dropped to your knees. "Bucky! You're alright, we're gonna be alright, I promise." Your hands gently cradled the sides of his face and you could feel tears stinging your eyes.

Behind you, Tony raised his hand, repulsor at the ready. Steve struggled to his feet and lunged at his old friend, shield raised. Ignoring the sounds of the battle between the two heroes, you took Bucky's hand, feeling for a pulse. "Y/n," his voice was strained. Your eyes found his, e/c meeting blue. "You shouldn't have come." He rasped.

You forced a weak smile, gently placing your hand on his cheek. "I couldn't leave you."

His hand caught your wrist, his grip felt fragile, but you knew that if you tried to pull your hand away it would be impossible. Even at his weakest, he was still strong. "Stark, he-"

"I know," you whispered, flinching from the crashes and shouts of the warring heroes. "He's right to be angry, we both know that. If it had been either of our parents, we'd have done the same thing."

With a low growl of pain and effort, Bucky forced himself onto his elbow, taking a shuddering breath. "Steve-"

You turned around just as Steve fell to his knees barely a foot away. Iron Man stood in front of him, one hand raised, the repulsor in his palm glowing. "They're my friends," Steve panted, blood dripped down the side of his face.

"So was I."

It took two more gauntleted fists across the face to send Steve down, blood running from one side of his mouth. Before you could step in, he was thrown against one of the nearby stone pillars. "Stay down," Tony said. "Final warning."

Steve staggered to his feet, raising his fists in a way you'd seen so many times in those back-alley scraps he seemed to get caught in every other week. "I could do this all day."

Tony raised his hand again, the sound of the repulsor powering up sent a rush of adrenaline through your veins. You and Bucky may be guilty, but Steve wasn't. He didn't deserve to die. No one did.

"No!" you cried, leaping to your feet and springing onto the back of Tony's armour, the knife from your belt in your hand. You drove the blade between two of the metal plates on the back of the armour, trying to find something to disable it.

Steve took a step forward, about to intervene, but Tony was faster and threw you off his back. You hit the far wall hard and felt a bolt of pain through your ribcage.