Never Safe

Chapter Thirty-Three

The next morning, after breakfast, Bucky took you to the compound med-bay. You went with him without questioning it until you were sat down on one of the beds.

"Why are we here?"

"I wanna speak to Bruce about something."

"What?"

"Just... some of your injuries."

"Okay... why?"

"Because."

"Ugh! Why couldn't you, like, speak to him in the kitchen?"

"I want him to check your injuries."

"Why, though? It's not like they all of a sudden hurt again."

"I know."

"But-"

"You ask me why again, I swear I'm gonna fucking hit you."

You frowned at him and sat back against the pillows. The door opened and you both looked over.

"Hi, Bruce. Thanks for coming."

"Yeah, no problem. Is everything okay?"

"That's what we're here to find out. See, I was hoping I'd be able to take y/n home today."

"Really?" you asked excitedly.

"Really" he chuckled at your enthusiasm, then turned back to Bruce. "Can you check everything's fine so we can do that?"

"Yeah, of course. I think I just need to check if any of the wounds are infected. How's your head, y/n?"

"It's mostly okay. Like, it doesn't hurt now and my headaches aren't bad. I just get a little dizzy from time to time."

"Well, you should keep taking your medication, but you can do that at home. I'll give it to Bucky and let him take care of that."

You nodded. Bruce started checking the cuts on your arms. "I'm gonna apply some antiseptic cream to these" he explained. He took some out a cupboard and proceeded to do so.

"Um, Bruce, there was something else I wanted you to look at. Something you and I initially missed."

"What is it?"

"Y/n, can you put your hair up please?"

You knew what he wanted to see. "Bucky, it's fine. We don't have to-"

"Please?"

He handed you a hairband from his wrist. You sighed and pulled your hair up into a messy bun. You turned away from Bruce so he could see the back of your neck. Bruce stood still for a moment as he looked at it. Then he wiped the antiseptic cream of his fingers, and gently touched the burn.

It made you flinch.

"I'm sorry. Does it hurt?"

"Only when you touch it."

"Bruce, can you get rid of it?" Bucky enquired.

"Uh, I can find an ointment that could heal it a little, but that won't guarantee that it won't leave a scar."

"Is there any way you can guarantee it won't leave a scar?"

You spoke before Bruce could. "It's fine if not. Its not like it's going to be visible, so I don't really care."

"Yeah, well I do" Bucky said. "Bruce?"

"There are surgeries that can be done to replace the damaged skin with healthy tissue."

"And is that something you can do? Or do we need to go to a hospital?"

"Wait, what?"

"What's wrong?" Bucky asked you.

"You want me to have a surgery?"

"Well, if that's what it takes to get rid of the burn-"

"I don't wanna do that."

"I know, but you may have to."

"No... I don't care whether it scars or not. You can't even see it."

"I know, but I'll know it's there."

"So what?"

"So, I don't want it to be."

"Why do you want it gone so badly?"

Bucky took a deep breath. He glanced at Bruce before making eye contact with you again. "It doesn't matter. Will you please just do this for me?"

"Why?"

Bucky sighed and sat down beside you. He held your hand and subconsciously began to draw circles with his thumb on your skin.

"I don't want you to have a reminder of them."

You looked up at his eyes, not looking back at you. He was staring at the floor.

"Its like a brand. Like you belong to them. And I hate it... I hate the fact that they got to you in the first place. It's all my fault for letting that happen, and I know I'll be reminded of that every time I see it... Y/n, I have a permanent reminder of my time at Hydra, I don't want you to have one too."

You shuffled over and leaned on him. He looked down at you and put his arm around you. He kissed the top of your head.

"I don't want the surgery..."

You heard Bucky's quiet, disappointed sigh.

"... but I'll do it." You faced Bucky. He smiled lightly at you. "But only if we try the ointment for a few weeks first. We can see what that does and if it's still not good enough, we can do it your way."

"Okay" Bucky agreed. "Let's do that."

"Thank you."

Bucky turned to look at Bruce. While you were talking, he'd found a burn ointment. "I found this for you to use. It needs to be applied one to two times a day. I'd suggest when you wake up and before you go to sleep..." he unscrewed the cap of the tube. "May I?"

You turned in a way so you had your back to Bruce, and you were facing Bucky. You flinched a little when Bruce first touched it. It was cold. Then it began to hurt a little as he rubbed it over the burn.

"Is that okay?" Bruce asked when he was done.

"Yeah, it just stings a little."

"Okay, that's normal. It'll sting a little the first few times, then you'll get used to it. However, if it starts getting worse, come back to see me and I'll take a look."

"Thank you, Bruce" Bucky said, and took your different treatments and medications off him.

"You're welcome. Are you heading home now?"

"I think so. Unless there's any reason you want to stay?" Bucky asked you, but you shook your head.

"Bye Bruce" you smiled at him.

"Bye y/n. Take care. I hope to see you again soon."

"Mhm. See you later." You hopped off the bed and skipped out the room to go and say goodbye to everyone else.