Summary:
Little Bucky - age 3
Caregiver Natasha
Natasha comes home to find Bucky, little, hurt, and scared, hiding in her apartment.
Translation: Солнце - Sunshine
The thunder had long since ceased, the light rain pounding on the glass outside slowly lulling Bucky into an uneasy sleep. Natasha gently brushed Bucky's hair out of his face. Bucky's head rested on her shoulder as he snored softly.
Liho leaped back onto the bed and mewed at her owner. Natasha scratched behind the cat's ear, earning a happy purr from her pet. Liho stretched and curled up at Bucky's side. Bucky instinctively snuggled up to the cat, pulling her closer.
Liho squirmed out of the soldier's arms. Bucky whined in his sleep. He curled up tightly next to Natasha. He slipped his thumb into his mouth. Natasha sighed and continued to run her fingers through Bucky's hair. Bucky needed Alpine, she couldn't offer the same kind of comfort that the white cat always could.
Natasha pulled out her cell phone, continuing the soothing motion of petting her boyfriend's hair. She dialed a friend's number and waited for an answer.
"Hey Tash, what's up?"
"Clint. I need a favor." Natasha said.
"What is it?" Clint asked.
"Bucky showed up at my house today, he's little right now and really shaken up. I don't know what happened." Natasha explained, "I need you to bring his cat over to my apartment."
"Okay." Clint agreed, "I'll bring her over soon."
A few hours later a knock came at the door. Natasha eased Bucky off of her shoulder to lay down on the pillows. She quietly left the bedroom to answer the door. Natasha opened the door to a grumpy looking Clint Barton, with a few cat scratches covering his arms and one on his cheek.
"I'm never taking your boyfriends cat anywhere ever again." Clint grumbled.
"She's mad because you're holding her wrong." Natasha took the cat from Clint's arms and set her down, the cat instantly scurried away into the apartment.
"Oh." Clint laughed, feeling a bit embarrassed by the situation, "So uh, how's Bucky doing?"
"Better." Natasha said, "He should be healed in a few days. But he's still little, not that I can blame him."
Alpine leapt onto Natasha's bed when she spotted her owner. She brushed herself against Bucky's face and mewed. Bucky whined, not being very happy with the fact that he'd been woken up. Alpine meowed again and nudged her head against Bucky's cheek. Bucky blinked slowly. His eyes adjusted to the light and he soon recognized the white cat in front of him.
"Alpine!" Bucky squealed.
The white cat mewed. Bucky scooped up the cat and hugged her to his chest. Alpine brushed her head against Bucky's cheek, purring happily.
Bucky looked around finally registering that, aside from his cat, he was alone in the bedroom. He hid his face in Alpine's fur, the thought of being alone made him uneasy. He wanted his Mama, but she was no where to be seen.
Bucky eased himself off of the bed. When he pushed himself up onto his feet pain shot through his injured foot and up his leg. Bucky let out a small cry of pain. He tried to brush it aside and placed one hand on the wall to steady himself, using his free hand to cradle Alpine to his chest.
Bucky forced himself to take two pained steps before being reduced to tears. Normally such an injury would barely phase Bucky, but in his regressed headspace the pain seemed that much worse.
