Marvel: Reader Inserts

A Terrible Accident ~ Part 4 ~ Bucky Barnes x Reader

Notes: The last part. No happy ending here.

~~~

 You watched from your med-bay room, Steve and Bucky pack up for Wakanda. Despite the vibranium cuffs on his wrists and the clear weight of his mind, Bucky was helping with ease. Your eyes kept tracking him as your heart pounded in your chest. The dark part of your mind was screaming at you to not blink. To make sure that he wouldn't come near you. You absolutely hated that. You knew that there was a difference between Bucky and The Winter Soldier. Yet your brain was having a hard time remembering that.

"They'll be gone soon," Sam stated, coming up from behind you.

You nodded, keeping your eyes on Bucky. Sam watched you, noticing how you hugged yourself tightly and how tense your body still was.

"He won't hurt you," Sam tried.

"I know..." you whispered. "Though... I doubt it at the same time... and I hate it." You looked over at Sam with tear-filled eyes. "I hate everything about this..."

"I know."

Sam stood beside you silently for a moment as he watched the two men finish packing up. Bucky looked up and caught your gaze. You tensed and turned away. Bucky's head hung as he disappeared into the quinjet. Sam sighed, sharing a look with Steve before Steve closed the quinjet doors. You walked away from the window as the quinjet took off.

~~~

"How did you sleep last night?" Your therapist asked.

You were sitting on the couch across your therapist. She was sitting in a chair, a notebook and pencil in hand. Your eyes were focused on the bustling streets below as your fingers fiddled with the hem of your sweatshirt.

You had let Tony move you into the Tower two weeks after Bucky and Steve had left for Wakanda. He claimed that you needed a change of scenery, though you knew he just wanted to carefully watch over you as he and Pepper planned the next Stark Expo. With Sam's guidance, Tony hired the best therapist and you immediately started seeing her. She insisted you see her a few times a week and was moved into the Tower for whenever you needed.

"The same," you muttered.

"The same memory?"

"The same nightmare."

"Have you thought about reaching out to Bucky to see if you can find closure? It has been almost three months. Do you even know how he's doing?"

"I don't care."

"Don't try to lie to me, Y/N. I know you care. I know that you hate that you care."

"I don't."

"You don't have to feel bad about it. You're allowed to care about him still, even if it's different."

You sucked your lips in for a moment before your eyes fell to your hands. "I still love him... But it's not the same. I'm scared. I know he didn't mean to. That it's not really his fault... But I can't do that again. I can't risk it."

"Then you need to tell him that. He needs to know that your relationship is over."

~~~

Bucky stood outside his little hut, staring around the small lake. Steve was leaning up against the nearby tree, watching his friend. In the months they had been in Wakanda, Shuri had successfully found a way to prevent the Winter Soldier program from resurfacing. Bucky had to under go a few surgeries and did so willingly. Besides when he absolutely had to, Bucky really hadn't spoken since arriving in Wakanda. Steve was growing more concerned. He pushed himself off the tree and headed over to Bucky.