Trying Your Luck - Bucky BarnesxOC

Part 12: Puppy Love

Bucky flings the condom into the trash and looks at himself in the mirror. His eyes look lighter. Maybe it's the bulbs Shannon uses in the bathroom or the endorphins, or...

Nope, he thinks. He doesn't even want to think it. That's way too soon. He thinks about calling Dr. Raynor and scheduling an emergency appointment. This can't possibly be happening to him right now. It's got to be a residual feeling from tonight. That's all. The fact that he thinks about Shannon every second of every day is just a coincidence.

He splashes some water on his face and drinks out of the tap before drying his face and cleaning his hand with a towel. He tosses it into the laundry basket and goes right back to staring at himself.

"You're a mess, Barnes," he mumbles before picking up his suit jacket and shirt and carrying them into the bedroom.

Shannon is already asleep. Bucky puts his clothes on her dresser and stares at her. He hears Ace whining at the front door and sticks his head out. Ace flashes him a mournful look and paws at the hardwood.

"You need to go out, buddy?"

He slips on his jeans and his dress shirt, grabs Ace's leash, and Shannon's keys and they head downstairs. He walks Ace around the block. It's quiet. Bucky sighs as they come to a set of stairs. He feels like a bottle that's been shaken up. The confession, the sex, it rattled something inside of him - emotions he's kept buried for 80 years. He couldn't articulate them if he tried, but he feels them, bubbling and boiling in his chest. It's not anger or fear, it's something different. Shannon treated him with compassion and understanding. It's a rarity in his life. The only other people to do that were Steve, Sam, and the Wakandans. It's hard to accept that he's worthy of affection and maybe even love after everything that he's done.

Ace sniffs at the concrete and Bucky sits down, staring at him.

"Is this what life is gonna be like now, Ace?"

Ace looks up at him, his head tilted and his ears perked up.

"I don't know what I'm doing. I'm starting to feel things I haven't felt in years. I don't know where to put all of it, you know?"

The dog puts a giant paw on Bucky's leg and woofs softly. Bucky reaches out and scratches his head.

"You're a good listener, Ace. I can see why Shannon keeps you around."

They walk back to Shannon's apartment and he slides back into bed. Her arms wrap around him instinctively. Bucky smiles as she rests her head on his chest.

"Where were you?" She mumbles.

"Ace had to go out."

"Oh, thank you."

"No problem," he whispers. "Go back to sleep."

She snuggles into him, kissing his metal arm. Bucky chuckles and closes his eyes. His body begins to relax and he falls into a deep sleep.

He wakes up with the sound of gunfire ringing in the back of his skull. He screams, sitting straight up, grasping in the darkness. It feels like something is crushing his chest, pushing the air out of his lungs. Bucky gasps and chokes before he lets out another scream. His eyes are open, searching for a threat in the darkness. He's still not sure where he is. Immediately, he feels a body next to him, flinging its arms around his waist.

"Bucky!"

"NO!" He shouts, trembling. "NONONONO!"

"Bucky!"

It's her voice, pulling him back. He turns to her, eyes wide and panicked. He feels her hands on his cheeks and her forehead presses against his. Bucky feels tears spill down his cheeks, but he doesn't remember crying. His body is coated in sweat and it's vibrating with terror. He can't remember anything else about the dream, just the gunshots - and the sensation that they came from a gun he was holding. He can feel the phantom reverberation in his hand. Shannon shakes him gently.