Fine Line (Bucky Barnes x OC)

Haunted

**Warning: The italicized portion of this chapter contains mentions of physical abuse**

"Luna! Get back here!"

Luna's feet carried her deeper into the woods towards her little sanctuary. She knew her father wouldn't be able to keep up with her. The path she had to take was littered with fallen tree branches and dense brush. It was only three in the afternoon, but he was already three-quarters of the way to passing out from the whiskey he had been steadily drinking all day. If she was lucky, maybe he would impale himself on a broken tree limb and she'd finally be free. Luna pushed herself harder as she heard his angry voice grow quieter. The trees were dense and blocked out most of the sun, making it appear darker than it really was.

She saw her tent in the distance. She hopped over one of the fallen tree trunks and quickly threw leaves and small tree branches over the top of it, resting them on the two tree trunks, in order to camouflage her hiding spot in case her father somehow made it this far. Luna ducked inside and pulled the blanket that was tucked in the corner over her legs. Taking a deep breath, she touched the tender spot on her cheek where her father had punched her. She wouldn't be able to go to school tomorrow unless she could find a way to cover the bruise that was sure to form. She was running out of excuses to tell her teachers as to why she had another mysterious bruise.

She was a sophomore and the brightest in her class, but if she kept missing school she would fall behind. Contrary to other kids in her class, Luna actually enjoyed going to school. It wasn't just a place where she got a few hours reprieve from her father, she liked to learn. She wanted to better herself, to escape the life she was currently trapped in, and that meant earning a scholarship to a college far away from the man she was currently hiding from.

Thunder sounded in the distance and Luna squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened them again, she was back in her house. Her father stood in front of her with an evil grin on his face. His eyes were so dark that they looked black as he stared down at her. Luna took a step back only for him to bring the back of his hand down on her cheek hard. She fell to the ground with a sickening thump and a moment later his boot connected with her ribs.

Luna reached for an empty bottle of whiskey that was lying not far from her head, but her father fell to the floor on top of her and knocked the bottle farther out of her reach. His fist connected with Luna's face and she tasted the blood in her mouth immediately. She didn't know how long he would beat her this time. It was different every time. Sometimes she could get off with a few slaps and maybe a couple degrading remarks. Other times, like what she was facing now, it was worse, almost as if he had finally decided that he didn't have any more use for her and he might as well kill her.

Her father finally got up and walked off, probably to the kitchen to grab a new bottle of whiskey. Luna rolled onto her side and wrapped her arms around her stomach as pain speared through every inch of her body. She coughed and blood splattered across the dingy, tan carpet. She gripped her ribs tighter when sharp pains from the cough radiated through her aching bones. There was no doubt that he had broken at least a couple of her ribs. How many times is that now? Five? Six?

Luna heard the heavy thud of his boots against the carpet and she dared a glance at him. His mouth was twisted into a sneer as he looked down at her. He took a swig out of the bottle in his hand and pushed the unruly, black strands of his hair off his sweaty forehead. Luna may have inherited his hair color and his light olive skin tone, but thankfully that was the only resemblance she shared to him. Everything else about her came from her mother. Her eyes, her face shape, even her bravery and ability to not let her father see her pain and fear, all of it came from her mother and Luna cherished that every day.