Bad Company Blues - Bucky BarnesxOC

Part 20: today

Eden is awake before Bucky, twirling the gold band and diamond ring that Bucky gave her the night of Zemo's party. She put them back on to go to the police banquet, meaning to switch them over to her right hand the morning before they left for Matt's office, but she never did it. Bucky never asked for them back. She caught him looking at them a few times in Matt's office. The jewellery has become another extension of her body. She's even come to like the way they look on her finger. It's probably fucked up, but so is this entire assignment, her love life, and her relationship with Bucky.

She watches him sleep. He looks so peaceful. The crease between his brow disappears and his lips part as he breathes deeply. Eden kisses along his cheekbone and he groans softly, but doesn't wake up.

There's a soft knock at the door and Eden looks over her shoulder to see Claire creeping in with a small medical bag. She smiles and waves.

"I'm going to give him another morphine injection," she whispers. "Is he awake?"

Eden shakes her head.

"Even better," Claire laughs. "He even gave me attitude as I was pumping him full of drugs."

"Sounds like Bucky."

Claire sits down and looks at the ring on Eden's finger.

"You're married?"

She shakes her head.

"Cover story."

"Ah."

"We are together, though."

"I figured as much from your reaction to him," Claire says softly. "You care about him a lot."

Eden nods, staying silent. Claire smiles as she opens her medical bag.

"So, what are you, Matt's clients?"

Eden raises a brow. She likes Claire, but she's suspicious. She doesn't really know anything about her, other than the fact that she's a nurse and she saved Bucky's life.

"...You're not gonna turn us into the mob, are you?"

Claire laughs and shakes her head.

"I'm far from interested in that shit," she laughs. "I'm seriously just a nurse."

"How do you know a lawyer?"

"It's a long story," Claire whispers. She pulls out a small vial of clear liquid and punctures it with a syringe, filling it up to a line that she's drawn on it. She flicks out the air bubbles. Eden has seen ex boyfriends do that before. They were into heroin. Eden never touched the stuff, she's not a fan of needles. She's been shot, stabbed, and punched in the face, but she'll avert her eyes if she has to get a shot or get blood drawn. There's just something about it that freaks her out.

"Can you help me roll him over?" Claire gestures to Bucky, who is still passed out.

"Is he gonna wake up?"

"I don't know. Is he a light sleeper?"

"Not usually," Eden replies.

"Then we should be fine."

Claire and Eden gently roll Bucky onto his side. Claire grabs his pants and pulls them down past his hips.

"Whoa!" Eden laughs. "What are you–"

"It has to be an intramuscular injection. I can't exactly go and get him an IV drip from the hospital. I'd lose my job."

"What does intramuscular mean?"

"It means I have to inject it into a muscle. The least painful one is going to be his buttock."

"What's going in my butt?" Bucky asks, turning his head.