Lovers in Arms | Bucky Barnes

Part 29

After her talk with Natasha, she goes back to her room. She is alone and decides to take another shower. Her body feels dirty after talking about Rumlow, remembering how he violated her, how he misused his power on her. Just thinking about it disgusts her. It feels like she has something in her stomach and an uneasiness in her chest.

A sudden feeling has come over her, unsure where it came from but she can't stand anyone touching her. She wants to be alone and think about nothing. 

After throwing her clothes into the laundry basket, she steps into a hot, steaming shower. She leans her hand against the cold tiles and closes her eyes. She lets her head hang down so that the warm water flows in her neck, down over her body.

Not realizing the time, she has been standing under the hot stream for 15 minutes now. Her thoughts are going in all kinds of directions. Happy things, like Natasha and Steve looking super happy together, even though they still want to keep the relationship a secret, to negative things like Rumlow and his ugly face, to the well and to this morning when she avoided Bucky. She needs to talk to him when she sees him again. She feels she needs to apologize.

Not much later she thinks about how she is going to get back at Rumlow. Maybe Natasha's idea wasn't such a bad idea after all. She lets the thought rest for now and continues with her shower. She washes herself and turns the tap off. She steps out of the shower and into the steamy bathroom, looking for her towel that she has put down somewhere. Where the fuck is my towel?

Once she found the towel - it was just lying next to the sink - she dries herself and twists her long hair in the towel, she looks in the fogged mirror and wipes it clean with her hand and turns to look at herself. She gently touches the bruise that covers the entire left side of her body with the tip of her fingers, the touch makes her flinch. It actually hurts, something she didn't expect. Her hand slides to her neck, softly stroking it. The bruise around her neck is already fading.

When she's done in the bathroom, she walks back into the room. She throws open the wardrobe doors. She browses through the many items of clothing she has been offered by Shuri to wear. The wardrobe is filled with pants, t-shirts and even dresses. She picks some black jeans from the huge selection and a white T-shirt. Over it she puts on a big, bulky sweater from Bucky's side of the wardrobe. Nice and warm.

When she decides to exit the bedroom to go outside for a refreshing walk, she almost bumps into someone. She has to stops herself with her arms so as not to bump into him with her nose. Immediately she pulls her hands back and takes a few steps back, unsure why she did that. She instantly recognizes the broad shoulders, blond hair and the reassuring look on his face. "Sorry Steve, I didn't see you."

"How are you Karol? Natasha told me about your conversation."

"Oh, I was hoping she wouldn't tell anyone."

"Your secret is safe with me Karol." He extends his arm and puts his hand on her shoulder. Karol slowly shrugs his hand from her shoulder and takes another step back. Steve quickly pulls his arm back. "I'm sorry."

"It-... It's fine Steve." She gives him a fake smile while she hides her hands in the sleeves and crosses her arms. "I'm going to get some fresh air."

She circles around him and power walks out through the doors. Once outside she feels the sun shining on her face and a fresh wind through her wet hair. She closes her eyes and inhales deep to breathe in the fresh air.

"Hey Karol, how are you?" Wanda is sitting outside on the bench, also enjoying the sun. "I heard what happened." She looks at her with a concerned face, almost similar as the look Steve gave her. Karol sits down next to her on the bench, all the way on the other side at the far end.