Asylum

At least once

Two weeks had passed since Clint's visit, and with each passing day, it was harder for Steve to deny the fact that he was in love with Bucky. Now he also reciprocated the brunette's displays of affection: he hugged him whenever he could and physical contact was almost necessary between them. Sometimes, without realizing it, he would stare at the omega for several seconds, analyzing each of his gestures and beautiful features.

The hardest thing was hiding his scent. When Bucky allowed himself to be led through the corridors of the hospital or asked for his help to carry an extra tray of food, Steve was sure that his proud alpha scent reached the nose of the brunette or Darcy. He couldn't help it, it was almost instinctive: the ability to help the omega or make him feel loved filled him with joy, it was something he needed to feel.

It was good to know that hospital patients used suppressants. Steve was relieved that he wouldn't have to pass a rut in Bucky's presence, or put up with the need to "help" him if he was in heat. But thinking about that was a double-edged sword. He shivered as he imagined the brunette's thighs, covered in slick, wrapped around his own waist.

One afternoon Steve and Bucky were left alone while Darcy went to Nurse Foster for the suppressant application. They were lying on the grass, under a beautiful orange sunset. They were both looking out into the woods, their backs to the hospital.

"If I close my eyes for a moment and open them to look at the forest, I can forget where we are," Bucky said with a smile.

Steve's heart broke a little. "You know you won't be here forever, right?"

"Easy for you to say, Stevie. You actually will get out of here."

"Don't say that."

"It's okay, I'll be happy for you," the brunette said, closing his eyes again.

"No Buck, wait," Steve answered, sitting up a little. He took Bucky by the chin and gently turned his head towards him. "I will not leave this place without you, I need you to remember. Not without you."

The brunette blushed almost immediately and frowned a bit, as if he doubted what his ears had just heard. His eyes scanned Steve's face, searching for some trace of mockery, perhaps.

"I mean it, Buck."

Steve caressed the omega's cheek and slowly moved closer until their lips met. He closed his eyes and let himself be carried away by the sensations: the brunette's full lips, his sweet breath and the strand of hair that brushed his cheek, tickling him. Bucky responded to the kiss and cupped Steve's face with both hands as he let out a soft moan that made the blond shudder.

Steve sat up a little higher and directed Bucky to lay his head back on the grass. He then turned around to be on top of the omega's body and grabbed his wrists, bringing them up over his head.

He knew he should stop, but he couldn't. Inside him there was an urge to touch the omega's body, to hold him close and kiss him. He had to keep running his lips down the brunette's neck, getting dangerously close to his scent gland.

But Bucky reacted. "Stevie...," he whispered, opening his eyes. "Stevie, we can't do this."

The blond moved away, after realizing what was happening. As far as Bucky knew, he already had a mate and right now he was betraying him. What would the omega think about him right now?

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry," Bucky said as he got to his feet. Then he walked at full speed towards the interior of the building.

*****
*****

Steve wanted to find Bucky, but he didn't know what to say to him. How could he erase what had just happened? Or, rather, did he want to erase it at all?

"Where's Bucky?" Darcy said as he sat down next to Steve, but his expression quickly changed when he met his eyes. "What happened?"

"I kissed Bucky."

The girl's jaw dropped. "But why? You should not have..."

"I know I shouldn't have," Steve said, frustrated. "But I wasn't thinking straight. I was talking to him and suddenly I wanted to do it. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to do it, to kiss him at least once."

"And what did he do?"

"He kissed me too, but when he realized what was happening he left. He apologized to me and left. He thinks I'm being unfaithful to Clint and he wanted no part of it."

Darcy put a hand on Steve's shoulder and, unlike any other time, her face was completely serious. "You have to talk to him, today. He has to know the truth. This is unfair to him and to you too. You're obviously in love with him and, you know what? He is also in love with you!"

Steve blushed. "Are you sure?"

"I am, and it really isn't hard to tell. But you have to talk to him or be willing to lose him for good."

Steve was about to reply, but was interrupted by the sound of heavy boots approaching. It was Rumlow.

"Rogers, you have a visitor."

"What? Who..."

"Your omega, who else would come to see you?"

*****
*****

Steve was alarmed when he saw Clint in front of him. The omega was very serious, something bad had happened.

"Clint, what's going on? I mean, it's nice to see you but... You shouldn't be here right now..."

"Steve, you have to listen to me very carefully," the omega said as he took his hand.

"Speak up, you're making me really nervous."

"I found Dr. Banner and he's willing to talk to you."

"That's good news! I thought... "

"No Steve, wait. Dr. Banner was fired because Valentina found out he was an omega, and immediately thought he was feeding the 'wrong' ideas to patients. Valentina and Rumlow almost locked Banner in here, without telling anyone..."

"What?!"

"Banner managed to escape, there is a way to escape. But he's still very scared and he told me that this place is really dangerous. You have to get out of here, we are all in danger here."