Avengers Age Regression Oneshots

🍼🖤🦾No more manipulation 💭🇺🇸

Bucky curled up on the couch in the corner of the common room, knees pulled tightly to his chest. His eyes darted around nervously, watching for something—or someone—that wasn't there. His thumb hovered near his lips, but he didn't dare suck on it, Hydra's punishments still etched into his mind.

Steve noticed the way Bucky was retreating into himself, his shoulders hunched and his breathing shallow. Carefully, he approached, sitting down a few feet away to avoid startling him.

"Buck?" Steve's voice was low, calm, and steady. "You feeling small right now?"

Bucky didn't respond, just gave the faintest of nods.

"That's okay, pal," Steve said gently, inching a little closer. "You're safe here. No one's going to hurt you."

Bucky flinched at the word "safe," his mind flashing back to the cold Hydra facility. Safety there meant compliance. Obedience. Pain when you faltered.

"I didn't do anything wrong," Bucky whispered, his voice trembling. "I didn't. Don't hurt me. Please."

Steve's heart broke at the plea. He shifted closer, making sure to stay non-threatening. "No one's going to hurt you, Buck. I promise. You're not with them anymore."

Bucky's eyes welled with tears, confusion and fear swirling in them. "They... they said littles are supposed to obey. Supposed to hurt. That's what it's for."

Steve shook his head firmly. "No, Bucky. Being little isn't supposed to hurt. It's supposed to make you feel safe and loved. You didn't deserve what they did to you."

The tears spilled over, and Bucky buried his face in his hands. "I don't know how to be little without them. Without... without the rules."

Steve moved closer, placing a hand on Bucky's shoulder. "You don't need their rules, Buck. Here, being little is about what makes you happy. If you want to hold a stuffed animal or have someone read to you, you can. If you just want to sit quietly, that's okay too. No one's going to force you to do anything."

Bucky peeked out from behind his hands, his lip trembling. "I don't have to obey?"

Steve shook his head. "The only thing you have to do is let us help you feel safe. That's it."

Slowly, Steve reached into the bag he'd brought, pulling out a soft, worn teddy bear he'd saved from Bucky's childhood. "Do you remember this guy?"

Bucky stared at the bear, his fingers twitching toward it before he stopped himself. "I... I think so."

Steve held it out to him. "He's yours, Buck. No strings attached."

Hesitantly, Bucky took the bear, clutching it to his chest like a lifeline. For the first time in a long time, he let himself relax, just a little.

And Steve stayed with him, quietly reassuring him that being little could be soft, safe, and free from the pain Hydra had inflicted. It would take time, but Steve was determined to help Bucky reclaim the innocence they had stolen from him.