Winter's Mystery

What are these emotions

Serena awoke, she slowly opened her eyes to find Bucky beside her. Her first instinct was to expect punishment, but the gentle look on his face reminded her that he said that wasn't a thing anymore.

She slowly started to sit up, Bucky went to move towards her to help, but stopped himself, he didn't want to frighten her. She managed all the way to a seated position and looked around the room. She didn't recognize it, Bucky smiled, "I brought you to a safe house. It's far away from everyone else. Anyone else. So we can work through your powers and not have to worry about everyone."

Serena looked at Bucky with a look that he could only read as cautious. She slowly turned to let her legs dangle off the side of the bed, Bucky scooted the chair back a little to allow her space. She was still in just his T-shirt as she stood and began to walk around the room, looking at everything.

Bucky held back a chuckle, "It's completely safe. And the dampening field works for a mile in every direction. So we won't be picked up by any scans." She kept walking, out of the bedroom and into the living space, she turned to Bucky who had followed her out and leaned against the corner of the wall leading down the little hallway. He wished he knew what was going through her mind.

She smiled slightly and Bucky felt the chills run up and down his spine again, he couldn't help but to smile back. "What do you think?" He asked, hoping she would speak again. But, she only nodded, Bucky, who was a little disappointed she didn't speak, moved towards the kitchen, "Hungry?" Serena nodded again and followed.

He made them lunch and set the plates on the table, he pulled out a chair and motioned towards it, "Here." He said gently, she hesitantly walked forward and sat down as he pushed the chair in behind her, then took his own seat across from her. She ate hesitantly at first, then began to be more comfortable. Bucky smiled as he ate his own lunch, happy to see she wasn't trying to offer him any and didn't wait for permission to eat. A decent step forward.

After they ate and he cleaned up she asked quietly, "Why?" Bucky nearly jumped, his heart began to race at the sound of her voice, he asked, "Why what?" She shifted in her chair as Bucky sat back down, eager to hear her voice again, she spoke slowly and cautiously, barely more than a whisper, "Why are you doing this?" Bucky wasn't sure how to answer, Steve had said he could tell that he cared for her, he had constantly reasoned within himself that it was because he felt responsible for her, but he wasn't totally sure anymore.

There was a long moment of silence, Serena was searching his expression for any sort of answer when Bucky finally sighed heavily, "I could have ended your suffering a long time ago. But for reasons I still can't understand, I went against what my programming at the time was, and didn't. So..." he paused, he wasn't sure how to explain his next thought, but Serena finished it for him, "You feel obligated."

Bucky was surprised at how hearing it stung, it didn't feel right when someone else said it, especially her. He shook his head, "It's more than that." Serena looked away for a moment and then back into his eyes, still speaking slowly and barely above a whisper, almost as though she was weighing each word before she said it, "Mr. Rogers said you care about me." Bucky felt a knot in his stomach and as if his heart was pounding in his throat, "I do...in a way, yes."

He couldn't read what her expression said, something that he found anxiety inducing. He didn't want her to think he didn't in some way care about her, but his mind was so jumbled with the swirling emotions he was feeling he couldn't find the right way to explain it.

After a long moment of silence he changed the subject, "So...maybe...uh...the first thing we can work on is what triggers your powers." Her face scrunched a little and she sighed, but didn't speak.

Bucky tried to sound comforting, "I know they seem scary, but given time to learn how to control them, you won't find them so frightening." Serena shook her head and looked away. Bucky went and knelt in front of her chair, he took her hands in his, "We will work through them together. I will be here the whole time."