For Better or for Worse (Stucky)

Discoveries

„There you go." Bucky smiled softly as he carefully lifted Alpine from the couch which she'd somehow managed to climb onto, but was too scared and clumsy to get down from now. Smiling softly, Bucky watched as the white kitten ran across the living room to Ebony, meowing as loudly as she could, sounding like she was complaining.
„As soon as they grow, nothing in this place will be safe anymore." Steve said, hugging Bucky from behind and kissing his shoulder softly.
Bucky smiled at him, laughing softly. „They've been here for a week and already rule the place."
Steve laughed softly and kissed the back of his head, smiling against him. „Great point."

Bucky sighed, slowly letting go off of Steve and looking towards the table, eyes focused on the laptop.
Steve followed his gaze and sighed, thinking of how bad the day before had been. How Bucky had yelled at Steve to stop doing this to him and had almost broken the laptop before retreating into their bedroom to be alone, sobbing hysterically and needing over an hour to calm down. Still crying when he'd cone to him, apologizing repeatedly though Steve had reassured him they were okay. Gently running his hands over Bucky's shoulders, Steve sighed softly. „I'm sure today will be better."
Bucky tensed slightly, looking towards Ebony and Alpine who were rolling around on the carpet, climbing over each other as occasional meows echoed from the bundle of black and white they were forming. „We can't know that."

Steve kissed his nape softly, treating his skin as Bucky's hair was up in a loose bun. „We have to hope. And believe."
Bucky swallowed harshly, nodding slowly and walking over to the table, sitting down with Steve next to him. Looking down as Alpine walked up to him, looking up and meowing softly. „Not now, baby. I'll cuddle you later. Sorry."
Crossing his arms across his chest, Bucky clenched his jaw and looked at the screen when Steve looked up another recording. Clenching his fists under the table, Bucky fell quiet and numb as Steve started it.

Steve knew the recording, hating it like every other one he'd seen, but knowing he couldn't let it show. So he focused on Bucky instead, how his eyes stayed fixed on the screen and his breathing picked up subtly, his own screams echoing across their living area.
Once it finished after a couple minutes, Steve slowly got up and stood across from Bucky -watching his step as Alpine was still walking around the table whilst Ebony had gone back to sleep-. „What happened in this recording?"

Bucky stared at the screen, gasping for air as he looked up at Steve, not realizing he'd been holding his breath. „They... I..." He shook his head, face distorted in pain as he looked around the living room.
„Continue talking, please." Steve said, watching him frown, looking confused.
„You saw what happened." Bucky snapped, his confused frown turning into an expression of anger before he frowned again.
„Describe it, Mister Barnes. Talk about what we saw and about what you remember."

Bucky moved his head slightly, pushing it against his own shoulder and shaking it.
„Mister Barnes." Steve said again, watching Bucky with a solemn face though his heart was aching.
„I... They... Y-you saw! You saw what they did! They hurt me!" Bucky started gasping for air, shaking his head as he looked around in a frenzy. „They ripped out my nails from under my skin!"

Steve tilted his head slowly, nodding. „What else?"
„They... they broke my fingers and the... the bones in my hand." Bucky was clenching his fists, staring down at the flesh one.
„Why would they do that?" Steve asked, keeping a close eye on him. Having a hard time judging how he was doing.
„Because they knew it would heal quickly... b-because they figured putting me through pain would..." Bucky frowned softly, shuddering. „...that it would make me work with them t-to get them to stop."

„Did it work?" Steve was talking quietly, watching Bucky move nervously.
„Not that day." Bucky said, glaring up at him. „Obviously."
„What happened that day?" He moved around the table slowly, knowing Bucky wouldn't have much more patience.
„You saw." Bucky said quietly, shaking his head as he squeezed his eyes shut, moving his feet against each other nervously.