The Pursuit of Perfection (A Bucky Barnes Fanfic) [Sequel to Winter Is Coming]

Chapter 6: Matches

"Pride, envy, avarice—these are the sparks have set on fire the hearts of all men." –Dante Alighieri

***

            Steve walks downtown in an all-black suit. He doesn't know where he's headed, so he follows his feet and hopes they carry him somewhere worth being. He ends up in a dance hall of sorts, one he's never seen before. Then, he isn't in his suit anymore, he's wearing his military outfit from the forties.

            Looking around, he's confused. What year is it?

            "Steve?" Turning, he sees Peggy behind him. "The war is over. We can go home." She twirls into his arms and he feels himself let a smile appear.

            Then, in an instant, everything shifts. Peggy is gone, she's across the room dancing with Bucky instead. Harley is dead on the floor beside him, her lifeless eyes boring straight into him. He jumps and scrambles away. Suddenly, Bucky is standing in front of him with one arm, the other one bloody and mostly gone.

            "Why didn't you save me, Stevie?" he asks with a frown. "Why didn't you save Harley? You know I loved her. Why'd you let us die?"

            Fury is at his side. "The Tessaract is being used to make S.H.I.E.L.D. weapons. We didn't learn anything from its impact in World War II, and now you have to fight against it again. And Barnes is alive. He's an assassin for Hydra. You died for nothing, Rogers. You're pretty much worthless; your life is meaningless."

***

            At three-fifteen in the morning, Bucky hears a very loud, heavy knock at the front door. Stirring slightly, he listens as the knocking persists, becoming louder and hastier. He carefully moves Harley off his chest before leaving their bedroom and crossing their apartment to open the door.

            It's Steve. And his features express pure lividness.

            "Steve?" Bucky rubs his eyes tiredly. "What's up?" Steve barges inside, not even answering his question. Bucky closes the door. "Steve, what're you doing here?"

            "Guys? What are you doing? Do you know what time it is?" Harley asks from the doorway. Without warning, Steve picks up one of their lamps and hurls it at Harley as hard as he can. Harley gasps and moves just in time. "What the hell?!"

            "Steve!" Bucky grabs his arm before he can grab the other lamp. "Stop!" Steve swings his other arm around; it slams home right in Bucky's neck. Bucky pushes him back, making him stumble over the coffee table. He rubs his head and it seems like he's calmed down, but as soon as Harley takes one step towards him, he springs up and punches her in the side of her face.

            "Steve!" Bucky shouts louder. Bucky shoves him again, this time harder, and Steve is knocked into the fireplace. The impact knocks him unconscious. Bucky moves to Harley, who is standing and cradling her cheek. "Are you alright?" He moves her hand only to reveal already purple skin. She flinches when he touches it slightly.

            "What the hell just happened?" she asks, glancing between Bucky's bruised neck and Steve's unconscious body. Her voice trembles and her eyes are glassy, like an iced over lake.

            Bucky can only shake his head. He's still not completely awake. "Let's talk in the morning. I'll carry him back to his place." He hauls Steve over his shoulder and goes to his apartment, dropping him on his bed and leaving as fast as he can, making sure to lock the door behind him. He can't keep the image of Steve's eyes out of his head. They were cold and hard, glazed over, and just full of rage. What could've ignited that? When he gets back, Harley is still in the same spot, staring where Steve once was.