"So who is this person anyway?" I ask.
"They're a major threat to cybersecurity everywhere," Sam responds. "They're also great at making plans and horrible at executing them."
I chuckle. "Sounds like me."
"Hey, I found footsteps." Bucky pauses. "They lead to the basement door."
"What's wrong, Buck? You afraid of basements?" I tease.
"Not basements themselves. What's in them is the scary part."
"Lemme guess," Sam chimes in. "Ancient curses? Ghosts? A map to a secret map on the back of the Declaration of Independence?"
"Nevermind," Bucky groans. "Let's just get this cyber threat and get out of here."
With our flashlights and guns we slowly step down the staircase, me bringing up the back and Sam in the front. Once we got to the bottom, I didn't follow long before finding myself backed into a corner.
"Say anything and I'll slit your throat," a person behind a mask threatens. They take my weapons and smash my comms.
"Those were expensive, man," I complain. They punch me on the shoulder. "Ouch, what was that for?"
Once we reach the bottom of another set of stairs that go deeper underground, the person ties my hands together and shoves me to the floor.
"You stay there," they command.
"Not like I could really do anything else," I mutter under my breath.
With nothing to do except be alone with my thoughts, the minutes tick by slowly. It feels like hours before the person comes back with a slightly dazed Bucky.
It takes him a moment to focus, but when he recognizes me, he scowls. "Did you hurt them?"
"Not yet," the person sneers. They shove Bucky similarly to the manner they shoved me, but Bucky's hands are already tied.
Despite whatever our captor did to him, Bucky threatens them. "I swear to God, if you touch them I'll-"
"You'll do what, exactly?" they inquire. "You seem to be forgetting who in this room has control of their hands."
"Just you wait until Sam gets here."
"I've already led him off my trail."
"Yeah, but you're forgetting that we walked in together. He's gonna notice that we're missing and come looking for us."
Our captor's smirk falters for a second, and they slap Bucky.
"You think that does anything? You think I'm intimidated? It's gonna take a lot more than that."
They pull a small knife out of their pocket. "How's this for 'a lot more'?"
As our captor approaches me, Bucky's eyes widen in fear. "No, wait," he shouts, "don't touch them! Take me!"
They ignore Bucky's appeals. My attempt to crawl away is futile because of the column behind me, but hope regains its stance when I see Sam break open the door.
Our captor, however, quickly stabs me in what I assume is a weak ploy to regain control. Sam knocks out the person holding us and undoes our bindings. I find myself laying on the floor.
"Look at me, look at me," Bucky instructs, snapping his fingers in my face. "Hey, hey, hey. It's gonna be okay. Just keep looking at me."
I nod frantically. "God, that- that hurt."
"Yeah, I bet. Listen, just stay awake for a few minutes. Help is coming."
"Y'know, I never- I never realized how bl- blue your eyes are. Did you know? They're very, very blue."
"Yeah, they're blue," he mutters, a few tears falling from his face. "Sam, where's the ambulance?"
"Should be here soon," Sam calls. He sounds so far away. "Keep them awake!"
"Already on it!" He turns his attention back to me. "Hey, look at me."
Drowsily, I manage, "You think- you think I can take my eyes off you?"
"Very nice, doll, but let's focus on keeping you awake," he chuckles, wiping away a stray tear.
In a few seconds, the severity of the situation dawns on me. "I'm not gonna die, right?"
His eyes widen a little. "No. I will not let that happen," he sternly tells me.
I nod, reassured by his certainty. It doesn't matter to my body, though. I'm exhausted, and my eyes close.
"No, hey, open your eyes! You have to stay awake." I can hear the desperation in his voice, but I can't manage to reopen them longer than a few seconds. "No no no, stay with me!"
Suddenly, I'm moving, and I can't hear him anymore. Then everything fades.
Some time later, I wake up in a hospital bed. Sam is right next to me, but Bucky's nowhere to be found.
Sam notices me looking around. "Well, look who's up. He couldn't get back to sleep, so I told him to get some ice water for when you woke up."
I try to verbally respond, but my throat is too dry. I sign "thank you" and he nods.
Bucky walks in, talking about the water. "I couldn't find ice or cups, so I just got them a couple different bottles from-" he pauses in the middle of his sentence. "You're awake."
I nod, then reach out for the water.
"Right, right," he says. He holds up the different waters and gives me the one I point at. As soon as he lets go, my arm drops.
"Yeah," Sam mentions, "the doctor said you should start out holding stuff with both hands."
I pick up the bottle with both hands this time, holding it out for Bucky to unscrew the cap. I take a few gulps, and my throat feels immensely better.
"You good?" Bucky asks.
"Mhm."
"Good." He gently cups my face and kisses me. "I thought I lost you." I hear Sam groan under his breath.
"A little birdie told me you can't sleep," I tell Bucky.
"Thanks, Sam," he says sarcastically. He quickly reverts his attention to me. "Don't worry about me, doll. I'll be okay now that I know you are."
"You sure you don't want to snuggle?"
I watch his eyes move as he contemplates my proposition. "No, I want to," he responds after a few seconds.
"C'mere," I offer. This prompts Sam to leave. Bucky climbs into the hospital bed, awkwardly avoiding the wires. He wraps his arms around me and rests his head on my chest, eyes closed.
"Good," he mutters, sighing in relief.
"What?"
"Your heart is still beating."
I kiss the top of his head and start running my hands through his hair. Eventually, I hear him snore softly, and the sound lulls me to sleep shortly after.
