Imagine If You Assembled The Avengers: Volume 2

Insomnia (Barnes x reader)

Bucky stumbled into his room, a weary hand trying to wipe away the burning fatigue in his eyes, stopping just inside the threshold to stare at the empty bed before him. He leaned back heavily against the closed door and sighed aloud; he wasn't sure if he could face another night plagued with nightmares on his own, and momentarily considered asking to bunk in Steve's room just to see if it would help. The thought was immediately dashed away, realizing that it wasn't worth the both of them losing sleep because he couldn't get his head together.

Normally, he wouldn't ruminate on what he saw playing out in his tortured mind, but he had been having a recurring nightmare that he just couldn't shake; the imagery and vivid reality of it was too much and it just wouldn't pass. He hadn't slept well in weeks because of it and had come to the point of asking for help when normally, Bucky Barnes was a man to keep his troubles to himself.

With heavy and dragging feet, he moved and sat on the edge of his bed, digging his hand deep into his pocket to grab the sleep aid that Banner had given him to try. It rolled back and forth across his palm while he inspected it and tried to decide if he had hit his lowest point yet.

"Can't get any worse," he mumbled, tossing the capsule into his mouth and flopping back onto the bed in an exhausted heap.

~~~

When Bucky couldn't sleep, or when the dreams were too much, he would walk. He would walk the city for hours, under the cover of a hoodie and ball cap, hoping it would be enough to maintain some anonymity to allow him to clear his mind. Some nights he would traverse the entire length of Manhattan and back several times over without realizing it, just watching his feet take step after step in a steady rhythm. Tonight, he would only make it barely a few blocks from the tower before his attention was stolen.

"Help! Anyone, please!"

Bucky snapped out of his self-imposed trance and ran towards your voice, only with a general idea of your direction. "Where are you?" he called out, holding his breath as he waited for you to reply so that he could find you. "Tell me where you are!"

"I'm here! Please, help me!"

He zeroed in on the sound of your pleas and narrowed it down to within a block, running as fast as his feet would move, throwing his cap and sweatshirt aside so that you would see who he was and not run from him in more fear than what was already gripping you. When he finally saw you, curled within yourself and pressed into a dark alleyway corner, he stopped and approached slowly with his hands raised, allowing you to see him before making a move.

"I'm here to help you. I'm Bucky Barnes. I'm an Avenger," he said calmly, "can I come closer?"

"Yes," you panted, "I know who you are, thank you, please."

With your consent, he rushed to your side and protectively knelt next to you, looking around for any sign of a threat to you but finding nothing immediate. Bucky turned his attention to you and took your arm gently in his metal hand, his human hand peeling the cloth of your shirt away to display a large gash that ran the length of your forearm, bleeding profusely and now dripping through his fingers.

"We need to get you to a hospital. Can you walk?"

"I can," you winced, grimacing at the pressure he was putting on your wound to stop the bleeding as best as he could. He held out his elbow for you to link your free arm though, taking care to not release any pressure, then gently guided you to standing next to him. You were okay at first, but the longer you stood, the weaker you felt until dizziness set in and you could hear your heartbeat pounding in your ears. "Woah, I gotta...sit..."