Marvel Imagines

puppets pt. 3 | bucky barnes

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Relationship: Doctor and patient(?)/Friendship/Subtle Romance

Word Count: 1,192

Type: Sad-ish?

Warnings: A bit depressing

➳ ➳ ➳ ➳ ➳ ➳ ➳

Footsteps were all that could be heard as [Y/N] rushed into the abandoned bank, her heart racing. A loud sound echoed through the bank, making her run even faster.

"Ms Pierce-" One of the armed guards started when she arrived but she ignored him and his pleas for her to stop her advances. She entered the vault and her eyes widened.

One of her fellow scientists was on the floor, soothing his injuries while the guards in the vault had their guns raised and pointing towards the Winter Soldier, who sat on a metal chair in the middle of the area.

"What on earth is going on here?!" She demanded, the anger in her voice scaring everyone to death, "why wasn't I called earlier?"

"W-With all to r-respect m-m-ma'am, t-this was an emergency a-and w-we had to work fast. W-We don't know what happened... He j-just... Retaliated." One of the scientists stammered.

"Put your guns down." She ordered. When none of them moved, she repeated her orders again.

"Put your guns down." She seethed, her voice laced with venom and a promise to destroy anyone who disobeyed. They reluctantly lowered their guns and stepped away, allowing [Y/N] to approach the Winter Soldier.

"Hey... Are you okay?" She questioned, her voice growing soft and gentle, contrasting the sharpness in her tone moments before.

The sight of him broke her heart. This was the first time she saw the darkness and the damage of his past on his face and in his movements. Previously she had to study his perplexing, periwinkle eyes but now... She didn't need to see. He was lost, confused and scared.

She reached out for him and he grabbed her wrist tightly. The guards had their guns up again but she ordered them to retreat.

"What's wrong?" She inquired, her brows furrowing in concern. Never in her life had she seen him this distressed, "you're hurt aren't you?"

She studied his damaged metal arm with worry as he released her wrist from his death grip.

"Get me my equipment, I'll finish the repairs myself." She stated. No one bothered or dared to defy her orders anymore.

She proceeded to repair the damage that was most likely caused by Steve and Natasha. She pushed her concerns on their wellbeing out of her mind. Though she worked with both of them quite closely it was too late to undo what had already been done.

"You scared me, you know?" [Y/N] commented, glancing up at the soldier, "the whole time I was so worried, and when I haven't heard any reports from anyone I started to think..." She trailed off and froze, her hand hovering above his arm.

She shook her head, resuming her work as if nothing ever happened. "I'm just glad you're okay." She smiled.

This whole time, the Winter Soldier watched her every movement. She felt his eyes burning into her skull, which made her feel quite flustered.

She had just finished repairing his metal arm when Alexander entered the vault with Rumlow and some of his other personal guards behind him.

"Sir... He's... He's unstable.... Erratic..." One of the scientists warned. Alexander completely ignored the remark and approached the Winter Soldier, taking off his glasses and putting it in his pocket. [Y/N] stepped aside and lowered her head.

"Mission report." Alexander ordered. [Y/N] glanced at the Winter Soldier, eager to hear his response as she was curious to find out what happened but also concerned at his mental state. He was staring dazedly, as if he hadn't heard the order.

"Mission report, now." Alexander repeated, his patience waning. When the Winter Soldier refused to answer once more Alexander bent down and slapped the soldier.

"Sir, this isn't necessary." [Y/N] exclaimed, stepping between her father and the Winter Soldier. "His health may be-"

Before she could finish, a hard slap on the cheek made her stumble and fall. She could taste the blood in her mouth, but she wiped it with her white coat collar.

"Don't get me started with his health, if you did your job right then we wouldn't be in this situation right now." Alexander growled.

[Y/N] could see the Winter Soldier staring at her, anger and concern evident in his eyes and tense body.

"If you just let me check-" Another blow to the head cut her mid-sentence. A small whimper escaped her mouth as she was dragged by her [H/C] tresses and brought to her feet roughly. Her hands were secured by none other than Rumlow.

By now the Winter Soldier was fuming. He balled his hands into fists and his metal arm was making dangerous clicking sounds. His eyes never left [Y/N]'s [E/C] ones. He was worried about her.

Alexander followed his gaze and raised an eyebrow. He walked over to his daughter and punched her hard in the face. She would've retaliated if Rumlow hadn't been holding her back.

"If you don't want her to get hurt again..." Said Alexander, rubbing his knuckles, "you'll give me my mission report."

The Winter Soldier glared at Alexander but then sighed and reluctantly gave his report.

Once he was done, his brows furrowed in confusion as his eyes shifted away. "The man on the bridge... Who was he?"

"You met him earlier this week on another assignment." Alexander answered. [Y/N] struggled to break free from Rumlow.

"I knew him." The Winter Soldier insisted, his eyes desperate to find an answer, a real answer.

Alexander sat on a stool in front of the soldier and began the speech he gave the soldier so many times before, making [Y/N] inwardly groan.

"Your work has been a gift to mankind. You shaped the century, and I need you to do it one more time." The Winter Soldier slowly looked up, his eyes holding a certain glint of hope. [Y/N]'s stomach twisted, knowing that the words coming out of Alexander's mouth were nothing but lies.

"Society is at its tipping point between order and chaos, and tomorrow morning we're gonna give it a push... But... If you don't do your part I can't do mine... And HYDRA can't give the world the freedom it deserves."

"But I knew him." Said the Winter Soldier, stubbornly not letting the issue go. Alexander sighed, thinking.

He stood up and turned to [Y/N].

"Prep him."

"He's been out of cryofreeze for too long..." She started.

"Then wipe him, and start over." Alexander snapped. [Y/N] saw the fear that clearly expressed itself on the soldier's face, and the little rebel somewhere inside her heart began to suffice.

"But..."

Alexander grabbed a gun from one his bodyguards and pointed it at her head, making her freeze. She closed her eyes and sighed, walking towards the soldier and pushing him down. He stared at her, pleading for her to stop this, but if she did she'll die, and they both knew that. Her father wouldn't hesitate to kill her, his only daughter.

She gave him something to bite on and activated the machine, also bracing herself for what was to come. The machine repositioned itself and as it did, [Y/N] turned away.

His screams tore her apart.