Bloodborne: First Blood {1}

Chapter 𝟞𝟛 - A Tale For The Ages

1943

Being a POW was the last thing any of us from the 107th would want and sadly, that was something we couldn't avoid till Steve saved us.

But before that, the days were long, dark, and miserable. If you'd try to picture being held captive by HYDRA, you can imagine it was a hell like no other.

Steve was like an angel, or atleast I thought he was when I was in my trance-like state till I saw his face then it was my best friend Steve. Who didn't look like Steve so that had me even more confused—anyway.

Steve and I have already had our story and you've seen me getting saved by Steve probably thousands of times but of course, it didn't end there.

"Tina, I'm fine-"

"Really? Being a prison of HYDRA for so long doesn't sound fine to me."

As soon as the rest of the 107th and I returned to camp, Christina dragged me after all the 'welcome backs' to the neartest med-tent to patch me up.

Christina shuffled around different shelves. "Anything hurt?"

"Besides this headache, no."

She looked back at me with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile. I loved when she did that, still do. "Okay Mr. I'm fine, would you like some aspirin?"

"Yes, I would thank you."

She quickly gave me the tablet with some water. "It that all?"

"Yeah..."

She gave me these sad eyes, as you may have known I was exactly myself around Christina during those days. She knew something was wrong and I knew it too. I should've just told her.

"Buck, you know you can tell me anything right?"

"Of course I do."

"Then answer me truthfully, is there anything wrong?"

I could've said something, then was the perfect time to get it off my chest. The truth I had been hiding all along, that I loved Christina way more than that sort of best friend love. I could've told her I hated seeing her with Howard or maybe that I was jealous that he wasn't scared to show his affection for her, that I was a coward.

"Like you said, being a prisoner of HYDRA really messes with your head." I bit the inside of my cheek.

"Bucky, I'm not talking about that. You've been off way before Red Skull and this whole HYDRA thing."

"What you do you mean?"

She got up from the cot she was sitting on. "I mean I want my best friend Bucky—it's like you're absent but still here and you're only like that with me-"

I had messed up. Avoiding Tina in an attempt to not let her get wind of how I felt, I thought I was making things easy but I hurt her. I broke a promise of ours by being stupid.

"Tina-"

Regret washed her over and it soon did the same to me. "I'm being awful right now, you're all-all bruised up and tired from whatever HYDRA did to you and I'm complaining. I'm sorry Buck."

"No-Tina don't be." I paused. "I'm just not ready to talk about it."

She nodded, after all that she was still so understanding. "Alright Bucky, I'll take your word for it."

"And...is there any chance at all that you've learned away new pieces while I was gone?"

"They're all sad."

"Oh, so you really missed me."

"Shut it punk."

"Idiot."