Mosaic (Bucky Barnes X OC / Winter Soldier x OC)

Chapter 29: Valeriy Ayers - Powdered Sugar (Part II)

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Crawling into my shirt, I spotted my shorts flying up. Once all dressed and properly covered up, I peered over the edge and spotted a terrified Bucky pacing under my bed.

His shoulders hunched high, close to his ears. His hands clenched and unclenched with almost every step. His breaths went in with gasps and came out in little puffs. His body was outright shaking.

Those blue eyes rapidly darted from one spot to the next. They locked with mine and he froze, staring up at me. So lost under all that fear.

I could practically hear the screams of 'help me' in his eyes.

"Bucky, come up. The aerial ribbons are – or you could just jump. Jumping works," I half babbled while wrapping him up in my big fluffy comforter.

"It's all... it's all a-a lie," Bucky muttered, his face burying down against my collarbone.

I gently combed his hair away from his face. Hopefully, it'd stop tickling my neck. Last thing I wanted was to shoulder check him in the face. That'd be bad.

"Who lied to you?" I asked softly, pulling him closer. "What am I even asking? Eve, what did you lie about?"

"In my defence, I was trying to avoid this very situation."

The words Cover his eyes flashed up on the window for a second or two. Small enough that I almost couldn't read it. Fast enough that I barely had time to make sense of the letters.

I used a deep breath to disguise my shoulder movement, and a small section of the window changed. The green trees turned white. Looked like they were covered in powdered sugar for another two seconds or so.

'Ah shit. So much for being July.'

I haven't even started thinking about how to warm him up to the idea of winter if we stayed here longer than I planned.

"How 'bout we light a fire and... eat a bunch of... hot things? P-Pizza? Or... hot... hot chocolate...?"

Bucky shook his head, curling up into a ball. One arm wrapped around me, half dragging me to him. Still, he shivered like crazy. If his body temperature weren't running so hot, I'd have thought he'd been outside in the snow for hours.

I did what I could. He told me to open the door when I wouldn't let him. He wanted to walk the dogs. I tried, but you made it impossible for me.

My fingertips dug in against his scalp, scratching lightly. My arms held him tight, hoping it'd let him know that he wasn't alone. Or with them in whatever hellish nightmare they forced him through.

"Breathe with me, Bucky. Come on. You can do it. Just breathe."

The first one was a shaking gasp. The second was better. By the third, his breathing evened out.

"There we go. I'm not going to let you freeze, 'kay? Eve, turn up the temp in this room. However high before killing my wall."

"Should I wake up Mochi then?"

"No. I don't want to be on Amber's bad side. I'll go find more blankets. Or not...."

Not when Bucky's arm clamped down. I wasn't going anywhere. Physically unable to get away. Emotionally unable to let go.

'Maybe pillows will help.'

I had plenty of those. Even if a few of them ended up on the floor when he jumped up here. Whatever it took to make him feel warm. Safe.