Save Us First (Bucky)

20

Ivy knocked on Loki's door and let herself in after a moment.
He was sitting on the bed, scribbling into a black notebook.
She knew that he kept spells, runes and other magical stuff in there.

He looked up and smiled.
"Hey. You okay?"
"Yeah. Just wanted to say I'm sorry about yesterday. You know. The whole Bucky thing."
"It's okay, I talked to him."
She sat down next to him.
"Really? And?"
"We...worked it out. We're good. At least for now."

Ivy smiled relieved.
"Good. That's great. Thank you."
"I just wanna make sure you're okay. That he treats you right. Yesterday...I thought he might not. He seemed very...possessive."
"I know, but he's just jealous. He.. Had a really bad night. I promise, he's treating me so good."
"Okay. But you also need to promise me that if he ever doesn't, you'll let me handle it."
She chuckled.
"I can take care of myself, Loke."
"But he's got a vibranium arm. You're not weak, but I'm stronger, you know. I just wanna protect you."
"I know, Loki. I know. And you know I'll always be there to protect you, too. Even if it's just against your dad or some shit."
He had to laugh.

"He's...not my dad", he eventually said softly.
"I don't care. Even better.
Odin can catch these hands, I swear."
He smiled at her and nodded.
"Thank you, darling."
"Of course."

She lay her head on his shoulder and sighed.
"I'm so glad you came back."
"That was quite a while ago. You're still bothered by that?", he asked surprised and she nodded.
"Of course man. I thought you might not come back. And that it's my fault you left."
"Oh sweetheart, it wasn't your fault. I needed to get clear about some things and...I couldn't do that here. But I came back. For you and Thor, mostly."
"He needs to know he's important to you, Loki. He really does. He never gave up on you."
"I know he didn't", Loki said softly.
"I'll tell him. When the time's right."
"What if it's never right?"
He sighed.
"Stop doing that."
"What?"
"Giving me therapy."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to."
"I know, it's just how you are. You need to try and help everyone with their shit and then you completely forget that not everyone needs it. Or wants it. Sometimes it's so annoying.,
She giggled.
"Damn."
"Yeeah, I know you."
"Too good. Wayy too good."
"Wanna catch up on that episode from yesterday?"
"Absolutely."

__

James entered his room and found Ivy sitting on the floor, in front of her a pile of photos, newspaper clippings and other things.
"Oh. My god. I found pictures from the 40s, of you. Bucky you were adorableee!", she squealed and he laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"Uhm...thank you."
He sat down next to her and looked at the pictures in her hand.
Steve and him, with rifles in their hand, smiling, a cigarette hanging losely from his lips.
Him in uniform, with a smirk.

"Wow. That's...a lot of memories", he said softly and she made a face.
"Right. Sorry. Fuck, sorry... Shouldn't have brought it up."
"No no, it's alright, I just haven't looked at these in a long time."

She softly caressed his face, tickling his beard, stroked over his hair.
"Wanna go through them together?"
"Yeah. Why not", he said, grabbed her hand on his face and pulled her fingers to his lips for a second, before then taking out the next photography out of the blue paper box.

"Who's that?", she asked.
"Oh god. I don't remember her name. We went out a few times, but never really clicked. She's long dead by now."
"Damn. Must be hard to know that all the people from back then are either super old or dead."
"Yeah. It's...strange."

She lay her head on his shoulder.
"God."
"What?", he asked softly and stroked over her cheek.

"I just...Look how fucking precious you were. How innocent, and charming, and happy and ambitious...What Hydra did to you...I can't even express how unfair it is. How much it pains me. They broke your beautiful soul and you are the last person who deserved that, I - I'm so so sorry this happened. I would do anything to undo it, if I could. You're such a good guy and just such a wonderful human being, and such a perfect soldier...I get why they chose you, but I hate it. I hate it so fucking much. You didn't deserve it. You just fucking didn't."

Bucky said nothing for a while, it felt like it were at least a few minutes, when in reality it probably was maybe one.

Then he took a deep breath, took her face into his hands and gave her a long, soft kiss. When he let go of her, she pulled him into her arms and he buried his face in her shoulder.

"It's okay sweetie. You can cry if you want to", she mumbled and he sniffed.
"Yeeah, I'm not that big of a crier."
"You should be. It's a great outlet for emotions."
"Hm."

He buried his face in her neck, kissed her collarbone and closed his eyes for a minute.

She held him until he was ready to let go again and they continued to look through the photographs like nothing had happened.

After a while, he became more comfortable and told her funny stories.
And she snuggled up against him, his arms around her, giggling and cuddling and just being in love.
A perfect afternoon in her opinion.

Eventually, they fell asleep on the soft black carpet, intertwined.