Relapse In Time

𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕟



Part 4

*six months later*

Veda rolls over, sprawling herself across her bed as the sun shines through the window. Living alone is tiring, in all kind of ways. After herself and Bucky decided it would be better for them to live on their own, in the same building of course, they've stuck to their agreement. They both knew they needed space to heal and they couldn't get that space whilst living in one tiny apartment. Buckys therapist told him that he needs to make amends, which means avenging the people he has done wrong as the winter soldier. Which he's working on. Although, she also told him he needs to move on in the world now that he's a free man. Veda managed to do a lot of healing during the blip, and up until a few months ago, she was dealing with the nightmares and the reminders. However, now? Not so much...

Buckys therapy sessions are mandatory, as part of his governmental pardon for helping save the world. However, Veda was never classified as a criminal, in fact... the government probably doesn't even know she exists. Therefore, she doesn't have mandatory therapy sessions every week, and she doesn't want them... Talking about her feelings and memories, even the nightmares, isn't not her thing...

Now that the world is slowly getting back to normal, whatever that may be, Veda has nothing to do. No school, no work, no war, nothing... So she spends her days either rotting away in her apartment, finding illegal street fights to get involved in, or sitting at a bar trying to get served which usually always works... although bucky doesn't know about the second two. He knows she spends her days locked in her room, since he often walks in to complete darkness whilst she sits and watches TV for hours on end. He keeps trying to push her into therapy like himself, but she won't listen, since she's fine.

"Get up" she's snapped out of thought by the sound of bucky knocking on her bedroom door. Sometimes she regrets handing him the spare key... "go away..." she grumbles. Bucky sighs, "it's 12pm, you gotta get up. You're slowly fading away in there" he knocks on the door, continuously, until she opens the door... although she doesn't. He shakes his head and opens the door, "you can't keep living like this..." he pulls the covers off of her body. She curls up in a ball, wearing her iron man PJ's, "get up, c'mon, we're going out" he hits her with a pillow. She grabs the pillow, "leave me be..." she mumbles.

"You're nineteen, V. It's time you got yourself out there, something has to spike your interest" he leaves her bedroom. She sighs, "fine..." she closes her bedroom door so she can get changed. As she walks past the mirror she scoffs, her hair is a tangled mess, probably untouched for days, and her pyjamas are too small. She throws on a pair of black jeans and a grey hoodie before brushing her hair and throwing it in a bun. She looks unrecognisable, and not in a good way. Her skin is now pale, the bags under her eyes are prominent as ever, and she feels like death...

"Lunch..." he slides a plate over to her as she walks past the counter. She sighs, "I'll grab some on the way to wherever you're dragging me to..." she shakes her head. Bucky locks the apartment door before she can reach it, "sit" he points to the stools. She groans, "c'mon buck..." she sits down. He leans on the opposite side of the counter and watches her take a bite out of the sandwich, "you can't keep burying yourself in here, it's unhealthy. And you look like shit" he shakes his head. She raises an eyebrow, "gee' thanks" she chuckles dryly. He sighs, "I mean it V, you're not you anymore. You should start seeing someone" he watches her closely.

"I'm not going to a therapist" she puts the sandwich down. He shrugs, "why not?" He ducks his head forward as she ignores him. He sighs, "look, you're clearly struggling, and talking about whatever it is you're dealing with, will help" he pleads. She looks up, "Is that the case for you?" She retorts. He sighs, "it is, actually" he nods. She shakes her head, "I'm not good, at the whole expressing your entire life story thing. I don't like it, and I don't want to see someone about my problems" she stands up. Bucky runs a hand over his face, "now, you can either take me to wherever you're taking me, or I'm going back to bed" she folds her arms.

"Fine, just get out the door" he nudges her as she moseys her way past. Veda stops, "I'm not going to that stupid group counselling if that's where you're taking me..." she turns back around. Bucky sighs, "just keep walking" he nudges her down the stairs. As they step outside, the summer heat hits their faces, "see? Fresh air, isn't it nice?" He walks past her, leaving her to follow. She groans and follows him as she buries her hands into her pockets, having forgotten her gloves in the apartment.

~

"You're looking decent, I guess" Veda folds her arms as she watches bucky bite into his pasta. He raises an eyebrow, "it's called getting better, you should try it" he points at her with his fork. She rolls her eyes and looks away, muttering to herself. It's true, Bucky's looking decent for a one hundred year old man. His hair is nearly cut and his stubble is cleanly shaven. His clothes are immaculate, and he stands like a confident human being.

"Why don't you talk to me anymore, huh?" He gently kicks her foot under the table to get her to look at him. She turns her head, "because we agreed to give each other space to heal, although... how're you gonna' heal if you're worrying about my problems all the time? Which by the way, needs to stop..." she shrugs. Bucky tilts his head, "you gave me space to heal, which I'm doing. And I gave you space to heal, which you're avoiding. Is this how you wanna live the rest of your life, alone with no plans? Because if you don't face everything now, it will eat you up, it'll consume you..." he knocks on the table. Veda leans forward, "maybe this is how I'm meant to live the rest of my life. I mean, to hell with it, if that guy never showed up at the hydra base i would've never wound up here in the first place. That's maybe how it was supposed to be" She slaps her face with her hands.

Bucky stares at her for a second, letting her release her frustration; luckily the diner is empty. She chuckles dryly and looks around, "and, and you keep telling me I have no plans. But I have plans. I do have plans for stuff" she folds her arms. Bucky nods, watching her look away angrily, "oh yeah? And what're these plans?" He folds his arms too, leaning back. She shakes her head, "they're my plans, not yours" she huffs. Bucky nods, "what're your plans? Mr, I got everything sorted out" she shifts in her seat. Bucky ignores her sarcasm, already knowing that she's hurting by having this conversation, "I'm making amends, and I looking for something to try. I might even take up golf" he shrugs.

She wipes an angry tear away and scoffs, "golf? That's pretty useless..." she looks away, feeling petty that he can move on but she can't. Bucky nods, "says the one who spends every hour of the day in her apartment" he leans forward. Veda shakes her head, "I'm done with this conversation" she wipes her tears away as she stands up, "I guess I'll see you around, or not" she walks away from the table, and out of the diner, already feeling a good shower cry coming along nicely. Buckys groans and leans back, running his hands down his face, "oh veda..." he sighs before leaning forward and leaning on his hand, just thinking... he's going to force that kid into therapy even if it's the last thing he does.