THE CHAIN, B. Barnes daughter

45. all better

TW: SELF HARM MENTION (Bucky is just checking up on her sh to make sure it's not infected and it's a cute little moment ig 😭😭)

ANYWAYS, NATANDSEVNATANDSEVNATANDSEV

JOHN WALKER EVENTUALLY got fed up and ruined the whole plan. God Sev hated how dumb he was. Long story short, Karli got away and they were once again on the search for this girl.

Back at the building where they were staying, thanks to Zemo, the atmosphere was tense. The frustration from the failed mission hung in the air. Bucky led Sev to the bathroom to take care of her wound. She had been shot a few days ago, and it was time to re-stitch and clean it.

"Sit down," Bucky said gently, guiding Sev to sit on the closed toilet seat. The small bathroom was cramped, with the sink crowded with first aid supplies they had gathered.

Sev winced as she moved her arm, the pain a constant reminder of the danger they were in. She watched as her dad pulled out the antiseptic and the needle with the thread. His face was serious, but his eyes held a softness that was reserved only for her.

"This is gonna sting a bit," Bucky warned, his voice calm and soothing. He carefully unwrapped the makeshift bandage from her arm, exposing the angry, red wound. It looked better than it had a few days ago, but it still needed attention.

Sev clenched her teeth as Bucky began to clean the wound. The antiseptic burned, making her eyes water, but she bit back any sound of pain. She didn't want to worry him more than he already was.

Bucky noticed her discomfort and paused for a moment, giving her a reassuring look. "Almost done with the cleaning part, sweetheart. Hang in there."

Sev nodded, trying to focus on anything but the pain. Her dad's presence helped. Even though the circumstances were far from ideal, having him there made her feel safe.

Once the wound was clean, Bucky threaded the needle and began the delicate process of re-stitching the gash. He worked with the precision of someone who had done this too many times before. His hands were steady, but his mind was racing. Every stitch he made felt like a failure on his part for not protecting Sev better.

"You're doing great, Sev," Bucky said softly as he tied off the final stitch. He ran a gentle hand over her hair, smoothing it back from her face. "Just a bit more and we'll be done."

Sev managed a small smile, grateful for his comforting words. She watched him work, feeling a mix of admiration and sadness. She knew how much it pained him to see her hurt.

Finally, Bucky finished stitching up the wound and applied a fresh bandage. He let out a small sigh of relief. "All done with that one," he said, giving her a gentle smile. "Now, let's check the other one."

Sev hesitated, knowing what he was referring to. Her self-harm scars were wrapped up, hidden away from the world. She had been trying to get better, but the stress and fear of their situation had pushed her back into old habits.

Bucky saw the hesitation in her eyes and gave her an encouraging nod. "It's okay, Sev. I just want to make sure you're healing properly."

Sev hesitated, her eyes darting away from him. She didn't want him to see, didn't want him to know the extent of her pain. But she also knew that he wouldn't let it go. He cared too much to ignore it.

"Okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Bucky's expression softened, and he reached out to gently lift her chin, making her look at him. "It's going to be okay, Sev. I promise."

She nodded, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. Slowly, she began to unwrap the bandages that covered her arms, revealing the angry red scars that marred her skin. Each one told a story of pain and despair, of moments when she felt like she couldn't go on.